The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya
by Ojamajo Pokemon Master
Summary: Haruhi Suzumiya's interest in Pokemon leads to an obvious consequence, marking the beginning of the SOS Brigade's adventures in the Unova region. This fanfic is a reimagining of selected episodes of Pokemon Best Wishes Season 2 in chronological order. RxR
1. Reality is Out to Lunch

_Hello everyone! This is my first ever fanfic ever to be published in FFN, so expect it to have a lot of inconsistencies. _

_Apparently, there was only one Haruhi/Pokemon crossover fic, entitled To Dream of Pokemon by Yowaki. Originally, I had to start writing a new crossover fic between the two series, but I got bored, so I stopped. But when I heard that Best Wishes would have a second season, I decided to revive the plan to work on a new crossover fic._

___The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya will be an alternate retelling of some of the episodes of Best Wishes Season 2, starting from episode 85. __Of course, just like any other crossover fanfic that involves Pokemon, the SOS Brigade in this fic will have one reason to (temporarily) have Pokemon. __Some of the chapters will be laced with shout-outs, mostly to anime and video games. Good luck counting all of them._

_I present to you, the bio for my first original character who will appear in my first fanfic, Brendan!_

_Bio: He is a Pokemon trainer who encounters the SOS Brigade on their (mis)adventures in the Unova region. Because they don't have any Pokemon, he usually lends them a random Pokemon on hand._

_I tend to make bad interpretations of Kyon's snarkiness, so please bear with me if I do. And oh, this fic doesn't use Kyon's narration style._

_Seriously, do I really need to put up a disclaimer when it comes to fanfiction? Oh yeah, if I do, I only own the original character(s).____ If you think it sucks, d__on't bore me to death with negative comments._

* * *

_**The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya**  
_

**_Chapter 1_**

**_Reality is Out To Lunch_**

It was one late afternoon in North High. The SOS Brigade members are still in the room that the Literature Club formerly used to conduct their meetings, doing their usual things. Haruhi is in the computer, looking for new e-mails, Kyon and Itsuki are playing Othello, Yuki is reading a novel, and Mikuru, as usual everytime they enter the club room, is dressed as a maid, preparing hot chocolate.

"Hey, Kyon! I just checked this out on the Internet. It's a new episode of an anime that I just watched." Haruhi called to Kyon.

Kyon, wondering if Haruhi is up to something that could lead them to trouble, approached to the computer and replied, "Pokemon again? Seriously, did you just get hooked up to the craze that kids are usually enjoying?"

"Kyon, Pokemon is a video game and anime series that is not just for kids. The games are very competitive even teenagers are playing those kinds of stuff."

"I'm sensing a feeling that Haruhi might end up doing something crazy again," Kyon thought, "Haruhi, is there a reason why you like it?"

"If those Pokemon existed in our universe, there would be a great achievement for the SOS Brigade if we encountered them! What do you say, Kyon?"

Kyon sat back at the table and said, "Um, yeah, about that."

"What is it?"

"It doesn't make sense if Pokemon showed up before our eyes, so-"

Haruhi stood up from the computer chair. "What are you talking about? There might be strange phenomena represented or caused by those creatures that is waiting to be discovered!"

Kyon facepalmed and muttered to his thoughts, "I knew you shouldn't have played that video game."

**_(The opening intro Super Driver plays)_**

"If you want to know, I can tell you the basics about Pokemon. " Itsuki whispered at Kyon.

Kyon replied, "You also played that stuff the whole time?" As he asked those words to Itsuki, Mikuru served two cups of hot chocolate, one to Kyon, and the other to Itsuki.

"Actually, Miss Nagato played it. She told me about the gameplay and how it is played."

"Miss Nagato, did you like that stuff that Koizumi just told me?" Yuki replied, "You already know it."

"Okay, people, everyone's dismissed. It appears we're the only students remaining, and it's already evening." Haruhi said. Everyone left the club room.

Walking on the side of the road a few minutes later, Kyon and Itsuki continue their conversation.

Kyon asked, "Koizumi, you told me that Miss Nagato taught you how Pokemon is played. Can you teach me how?"

Itsuki replied, "The eponymous Pokemon are monsters that you obtain, raise, and evolve in order to make them stronger. They also have special powers like electrokinesis, and water manipulation and even psychic powers."

"And what are Pokemon battles?"

"It is exactly what it says on the tin can. A battle between two Pokemon. Every Pokemon is assigned to a specific type, and winning a battle is determined mainly if yours is of the type-"

As Kyon was being lectured about the game's mechanics, he thought, "I never knew this would be complex and confusing."

He then interrupted, "Can you try to make it simple? You know, make it easy for me to understand?"

Itsuki replied, "When you think of the Pokemon's type, think of the existing elements in the world around us. The fact that water easily spouts out fires is the reason why Water-type moves are effective on Fire-type Pokemon. They are examples of type advantage, the one key to victory."

He added, "The strengths and weaknesses of a Pokemon are based on its statistics. One of the stats determines who goes first in a battle."

"Then, how can I tell if those so-called Pokemon are powerful?" Kyon asked.

"Their offensive stats are called Attack and Special Attack. If a Pokemon has a high Attack stat, it is physically powerful."

"Are there any weak Pokemon?"

Itsuki replied, "There's no such thing as a Pokemon that truly defines the adjective of 'weak'. In fact, there is a chance that one can still hit hard even when it isn't offensively powerful."

"So, you mean, Pokemon battles are serious business?"

"Yes. In fact, there are a lot of Pokemon enthusiasts competing to be the best of the best."

They walk at an intersection at the end of the road. "I guess our conversation stops here, now that you know some of the basics. I'll see you tomorrow," Itsuki said.

At his house, Kyon discovered his sister holding some familiar cards in her hand.

"What are those?"

"I just received these Pokemon cards from a schoolmate of mine. I even learned from him on how to play the Trading Card Game." Kyon's sister replied.

The deadpan Kyon thought, "This is all like a nightmare to me when the SOS Brigade and even my little sister gets hooked to all things Pokemon."

Kyon went to his room and slept in bed. He felt like he was in a dream, but it wasn't.

He is suddenly awakened by Itsuki.

"Kyon, wake up," said the esper.

Kyon replied, "Koizumi? Didn't we part at the end of the road last night? And where are we?"

"We are in the middle of a forest."

He notices that he and the rest of the SOS Brigade members are in casual clothes.

"What? Why are we all suddenly wearing in casual attire? Where's Miss Nagato and Miss Asahina?"

Itsuki pointed out behind him and replied, "They're right beside you, already awake."

Kyon asked, "If this were an alternate reality, I'm assuming we are trapped in closed spaces. And speaking of closed spaces, where's Haruhi?"

Koizumi replied, "She must have went off somewhere."

Suddenly, several wild Watchog appeared and surrounded Kyon, Itsuki, Yuki and Mikuru.

"Koizumi, we're being surrounded!," Kyon said. Itsuki replied, "There's no way we can escape from these Pokemon without battling them."

Kyon thought, "Good grief, we're all trapped in another dimension of some sort, surrounded by so-called Pokemon and there is no way we can get out of this."

Mikuru, intimidated by the wild Watchog surrounding them, cries, "What do we do now?"

It appeared as if hope to escape was lost, until a voice shouted, "Use Thunderbolt." A bolt of electricity is shot at the ground, making the Watchog flee. Kyon wonders, "I wonder who said that."

"Me." A Pokemon Trainer wearing a black shirt with white stripes, blue jeans, red sneakers, and a yellow cap on his head showed up from the trees in the forest and appeared before them. "Oh, by the way, my name is Brendan. I just saved all of you from those Watchog using my Luxray." As Luxray cries out its name, Kyon wonders," Is that a Pokemon?"

Brendan is shocked. "Of course, it is a Pokemon! Did you forget something or even do the math?" He immediately recalls the Gleam Eyes Pokemon back to its Poke Ball.

"Who are you? I mean, all of you?"

Kyon tried to introduce himself. "I forgot what's my true name, so just refer me by my nickname, Kyon. And actually, I don't like that nickname."

"And who are your friends?"

"On my right is Itsuki Koizumi." Koizumi smiled with his eyes shut.

"The girl with the black cardigan is Yuki Nagato." Yuki only said a single hello.

"Um, I'm Mikuru Asahina," Mikuru introduced herself to Brendan.

"Excuse me, do you know where a girl named Suzumiya Haruhi just went?," Kyon asked to Brendan.

"Oh, that's right. Suzumiya Haruhi. I happen to encounter her on the way, and she said that she was probably lost. So I told her that there is a city nearby, and she just went off to Virbank City."

"Vir-what?"

"Virbank City."

"And where are we?" Kyon wondered.

"If you and your friends were wondering where all of you are, then all of you are in the outskirts of Virbank City, in the Unova region."

Kyon sighed and thought, "Looks like a certain wizard did it again. She unbeknowingly trapped herself and all of us into her own world."

* * *

Ash Ketchum has finally obtained all 8 badges in order to move on to the Unova League, now that he has recently defeated Roxie of the Virbank Gym. Right now, he and his traveling companions, Iris and Cilan, are in the Pokemon Center, talking to Nurse Joy.

"I just recently got my eighth badge. Can you tell me when is the Unova League going to start?," Ash asked.

"That was a nice achievement you got there! But I'm sorry to tell you that the Unova League will take place in the next three months," Nurse Joy replied.

"Three months? Oh man, I trained really hard just to achieve my goal of becoming a Pokemon Master," Ash frowned, "All right, even though the Unova League is still three months away, let's continue some training!"

As Ash and his friends left, Haruhi was waiting outside the Pokemon Center. When Brendan and the others strolled around the road in Virbank City, she sees them and said, "Hey, Kyon. I've been waiting for all of you. There's a new ice cream that we should try in the park over there. It's called the Tunbear Ice. A woman named Nurse Joy informed me when I was waiting inside that building." She pointed her finger to the Pokemon Center.

Kyon thought, "It's a good thing she didn't give me yet another penalty."

When Haruhi noticed Brendan, she wonders, "Did he go with you just to look for me?"

Kyon replied, "Yes."

**In the Tunbear Ice kiosk:**

"There's no way this ice cream would be this tasty!" Haruhi exclaimed.

Kyon snarked, "Yeah, right. Are there any other flavors of Tun. . . whatever, as long as I can call it as ice cream?"

Brendan responded, "Vanilla is the only flavor they have. And if you're wondering what's the name of this dessert, it's called Tunbear Ice."

"Miss Nagato, do you like that stuff?" Kyon asked to Yuki as she tried one lick of the ice cream. She replied, "Yes."

Mikuru commented, "This flavor of is really good. Can I have another?"

As Brendan and the SOS Brigade members enjoyed some ice cream in the park, a familiar face was spying on them outside the Pokemon Center. It was certainly the Computer Society President.

He wanted to seek revenge to Haruhi and the SOS Brigade for taking away their laptop computers. He muttered to himself, "You may have had our computer, but you're gonna lose when I challenge you to a battle!"

When the gang of six decided to leave the park, they encounter the president of the Computer Club, standing in front of them. He says, "Looks like we meet again, because I'm gonna challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" Haruhi responds, "Okay, I accept your challenge!" But when Haruhi checks her pockets, they are all empty.

Haruhi asked, "Brendan, you are a Pokemon trainer. Can you borrow me one of your Pokemon?" Brendan replied, "Sure, you can."

He sends out a Staraptor and returns it back to its Poke Ball. He adds, "Didn't all of you start out having a starter Pokemon?" Kyon asks, "Starter say what?"

Itsuki responded, "Starter Pokemon. New Pokemon trainers start off by obtaining one of them."

Kyon replied, "But we're not kids anymore. I don't think that would be necessary for all of us to get starter Pokemon, are we? And why do we even care about getting them?"

Brendan said, "It doesn't matter what age you are as long as you are old enough to raise Pokemon, Kyon." He then gave the Poke Ball to Haruhi Suzumiya.

"I think he has a point, Kyon," Haruhi said.

**In the battlefield not far from the park:**

The president yelled, "Are you ready to start the Pokemon battle or what?"

Brendan responded, "You can't call it an official Pokemon battle without a referee. Okay, this is a one-on-one battle between Haruhi Suzumiya of the SOS Brigade and the. . . . . uh, what was your name?"

He attempts to ask the name of the president, but he refuses. "Okay then, the president of the Computer Club. Haruhi shall make the first move. Let the battle begin!"

Kyon facepalmed, "I hope this isn't trouble when Haruhi loses this match."

"Go, Excadrill!" The president of the Computer Club brought out the Pokemon into the field.

"I choose you!" Haruhi sent in her 'Staraptor' from its Poke Ball.

"Because I'm the one to make the first move, so Staraptor, use Steel Wing!" Haruhi commanded. Staraptor's wings glow white, targeting its move at the Excadrill.

The president responded, "Excadrill, use Metal Claw." The latter's attack collides with Staraptor's Steel Wing.

"Use Close Combat!" Haruhi shouted. Staraptor punches with its wings and kicks its talons into Excadrill for an effective hit.

"How's that for a super effective Close Combat?" Haruhi bragged, much to the president's dismay.

Mikuru wonders, "I wonder if it is possible for a bird Pokemon to do martial arts."

"Excadrill, use Sandstorm," The president instructed. The Steel-Ground typed mole Pokemon kicks its left foot and summons a sandstorm that whips up on the battlefield, blinding Staraptor's sight.

"Use Close Combat one more time!" Staraptor attempts to thrash Excadrill with its talons, but the latter avoids the former's attack with agility.

Kyon wonders, "How can that mole ever be running so fast at a time like this?"

"Sand Rush is an ability that raises a Pokemon's speed in sandstorm by 100%," Yuki replied.

"That can't be happening," Kyon muttered.

"Finish it off with Rock Slide!" the president exclaimed. Rocks suddenly appeared from above and hit Staraptor, leaving it severely beaten up.

The president replied, "My Excadrill's ability is Sand Rush, so expect it to be increasing its speed when sandstorm's up. I guess this is the end of the line for you and your antics you did at us."

Haruhi responded, "Whatever, but I'm still going to win."

The Predator Pokemon eventually gets up, just in time for Haruhi to say, "Use Aerial Ace!"

"Excadrill, dodge it."

Excadrill avoids Aerial Ace. Unfortunately, it gets hit from behind by Staraptor like a homing missile. The sandstorm eventually subsided.

"I'm not officially impressed. Time to pierce the heavens with your Horn Drill, Excadrill."

"Intercept it with your own Brave Bird!" Staraptor and Excadrill collide their attacks with each other, creating an explosion. Both Pokemon are on the opposite sides of each other on the field, Staraptor taking recoil damage from Brave Bird.

A silence fell on the battlefield. Kyon wonders, "Is this the end?"

**_On the next chapter:_**

The outcome of the Pokemon battle between Haruhi Suzumiya and the Computer Society President will be revealed. Will the winner be the former's borrowed Staraptor or the latter's Excadrill? Also, the SOS Brigade get to meet a certain Pokemon trainer with a Pikachu and his two traveling companions. What else will happen next? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!


	2. Loads and Loads of Characters

_This chapter takes place and is based on the events of Best Wishes Season 2 episode 86, with a few alterations. In this chapter, there are a lot of characters to deal with (Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, the OC, and the five members of the SOS Brigade), but I will try my best not to let them go out of focus._

_I apologize for the slight inconsistencies on the grammar on the previous chapter. _

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Loads and Loads of Characters**_

The two Pokemon stand perfectly still for what becomes an eternity. . . . . . . . until Excadrill fainted, making it unable to continue.

"Excadrill is unable to battle. Staraptor wins, and the winner is Haruhi Suzumiya of the SOS Brigade," Brendan declared.

Haruhi jumped with joy, while the members of the Computer Club were disappointed for their president's defeat.

"Thank you for battling for me, Staraptor. Return," Haruhi said as she recalled the Predator Pokemon back to its Poke Ball.

"You did great, Excadrill. You deserve a good rest." The president of the Computer Club recalls Excadrill back to its own Poke Ball as well.

"Glory to the Computer Club!" he yelled in frustration.

**Later, that afternoon:**

"Here, take this for beating me in a Pokemon battle," the president sobbed in tears as he hands over the Master Ball to Haruhi Suzumiya.

"Now that's more I like it. You fulfilled your promise like what happened to the laptop computers, right? This Master Ball I'm holding is now under ownership of the SOS Brigade, and you cannot back out of it."

As the president of the computer club and its club members walked away with shame, Kyon wonders, "Haruhi, you must do something to get him worked up."

Haruhi answered, "Aw, he'll be fine. For as long as he will be showing loyalty to me and the brigade."

"Guys, I'm going to be late for the jet to East Unova. Would all of you want to come with me?," Brendan asked to the SOS Brigade.

"I'd rather not be going," Kyon muttered.

Haruhi exclaimed, "What are you talking about? There could be a mysterious alien Pokemon that is yet to be discovered, so let's go, Kyon! To East Unova!"

**In the dock: **

As the sixsome were boarding on the jet, a certain hat-wearing Pokemon trainer with a Pikachu, a girl with unusually long hair, and a green-haired Pokemon Connoisseur were also boarding it, including a certain Pokemon named Meloetta, who sneaked in without showing its presence. Brendan, Haruhi and Kyon sat beside each other, while Mikuru, Itsuki, and Yuki occupied the seats behind them.

Kyon asked, "Uh, Brendan, where is this jet heading for?"

"It's heading for Undella Town."

"And why are we going there?"

"I wanted to make a visit to Cynthia's villa."

"Who's Cynthia?" Mikuru asked to Brendan.

He whispered, "The woman with the blonde hair who is in front of us. She's the Champion of the Sinnoh region." Cynthia was sitting on a chair a few columns in front of the trio.

When the jet arrived in Undella Town, it slowly descended to the sea and docked at a pier. As the six disembarked, Brendan spots Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Cynthia also making their way out of the jet.

"Hey, aren't you Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town?" Brendan asked to Ash, "and aren't they your traveling partners, Iris and Cilan?"

"Yes, that's us. And this is my buddy Pikachu."

"Brendan, who's that kid?" Kyon said.

"What are you talking about, Kyon? This is Ash Ketchum, the kid who is a runner-up in the Sinnoh League with the aim to become a Pokemon Master. I watched all of his battles, and boy, they were awesome, especially his Pikachu."

Cynthia introduces herself and smiled. "My name is Cynthia. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Iris, and this is my Pokemon, Axew." Axew popped out from Iris's unusual hair and says its name.

"And I'm Cilan, a Pokemon Connoisseur."

"What's a Pokemon Connoisseur?" Kyon asked.

Before Cilan could explain, Haruhi introduced herself. "I'm Haruhi Suzumiya, and these are my subordinates."

"I'm Mikuru Asahina," the moe-blob introduced shyly.

"Itsuki Koizumi. It's nice to meet all of you too."

Yuki only waved her hand, but eventually said, "Yuki Nagato."

Brendan whispered, "Kyon, introduce yourself to Ash and his friends. And Cynthia too."

Ash, Iris, and Cilan failed to recognize Kyon's real name because he didn't say it clearly and loudly.

After introducing himself, Brendan was asked a question by Iris.

"Are you part of them?"

"No. It so happens that I ran into these five people. They call themselves the SOS Brigade."

"SOS Brigade?" Iris asked.

"What do all of you do?" Ash questioned Haruhi.

"Our goal and objective is to look for strange phenomena."

"Strange phenomena? I also believe in them too!" Iris exclaimed.

"What Haruhi is talking about are aliens, time travelers, espers, among others," Kyon said.

"I thought you were looking for poltergeists or anything that is cursed."

"So, you call yourself Kyon, right?" Cilan asked, patting his shoulder and added, "If you've been wondering what Pokemon Connoisseurs are, they specialize in identifying the compatibility between trainers and their Pokemon."

"You mean, something like telling if the wine and food are compatible with each other?"

"Yes, you are correct. However, being a Pokemon Connoisseur is also all about learning the fine art of Pokemon battling."

Cynthia's butler showed up and asked, "I have been waiting for you. Do you have guests?"

"Oh, I forgot to introduce him to all of you. This is my butler, Jeremy," Cynthia introduced to the nine.

The group head off to a limousine that was parked beside a building.

"Uh, Cynthia, is that yours?" Mikuru asked. Cynthia replied, "Yes."

Ash's Pikachu sensed something.

"What's wrong, Pikachu?" Pikachu doubted that a certain Pokemon was sneaking inside whilst attempting to hide its presence.

Brendan, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the SOS Brigade rode off to the limo as it headed for Undella Town.

Inside the limousine, the gang of ten made a conversation.**  
**

"So, what makes your visit here?" Cynthia asked to Haruhi Suzumiya.

"We were on the lookout for any weird phenomena, or in this case mysterious Pokemon that are yet to be discovered."

"Oh, I see. If you are interested, I've been recently witnessing a certain Pokemon that drained all of Pikachu's electricity on the day I arrived here in Unova," told Ash.

"I thought that it was the legendary Pokemon Zekrom, since it was thought to create thunderstorms all over Unova," Iris added.

"Now that's what I call interesting! Perhaps we should go out and look for that mysterious creature and capture it for ourselves!" exclaimed Haruhi.

Brendan interrupted, "Though you have to consider the fact that rare Pokemon like the aforementioned Zekrom are very powerful."

Haruhi sighed. She clenched her fist and replied, "Whatever. As long as we can encounter it someday, we still cannot stray from the ultimate goal of the SOS Brigade."

"But what about aliens, time travelers, sliders, and espers?" Kyon asked.

"Those are not the only things we're looking for, Kyon. Besides, we're also looking for rare Pokemon."

Kyon thought and facepalmed, "Please don't tell me she'll include rare Pokemon in her lookout list."

Meloetta suddenly appeared on Ash's lap.

"It's Meloetta!" surprised Ash and Iris.

"That was a surprising taste!" Cilan exclaimed. Haruhi and Kyon wondered, "Who's that Pokemon?"

Ash replied, "It's Meloetta, the Pokemon that I encountered on the way to Virbank City."

"Explain who is that Pokemon, Brendan," said Kyon.

Brendan explained, "Meloetta is a Normal and Psychic type Pokemon that is capable of being invisible to the naked eye."

"Perhaps I can catch it!" Haruhi exclaimed. Meloetta shyly hides behind Mikuru.

"You can catch that Pokemon, but I have one question," Kyon asked, "Do you have the responsibility to take care of it if you were successful enough to capture it? Besides, it's like buying a pet. You simply have to take care of it."

Haruhi thought, "I don't know, but at least it would be fun to make friends with Meloetta."

Jeremy informed, "Looks like we have a new guest." He eventually added, "Oh, we are almost nearing for Undella Town."

As the group arrived at the villa, Jeremy opened the car door for them as they went off the limousine. When he opened the entrance door, Meloetta suddenly disappeared from sight.

"I wonder where Meloetta went," Mikuru wondered. Ash and Iris shouted, "Meloetta, don't go away yet! Please come out!"

Kyon also wondered, "I was curious why that Pokemon just disappeared like it vanished into light or something."

Cynthia replied, "From all the events that happened just recently, it must be shy."

As the group went inside Cynthia's villa, they sat in the living room. Ash went to the kitchen to look around.

A certain Pokemon Coordinator with a Piplup surprised Ash from behind.

"It's Dawn!" Ash said in surprise.

Dawn replied, "It's been a while since we parted, Ash." The two then did a high five.

When Ash and Dawn left from the kitchen, the former introduced the latter to Cilan, Brendan, Iris, and the five members of the SOS Brigade.

"I would like all of you to meet Dawn, my traveling friend from the Sinnoh region," Ash said.

Dawn added, "And this is my first Pokemon, Piplup." Piplup danced and sat into the sofa.

Dawn asked, "You must be Cilan and Iris, right? Professor Oak just told me about both of you."

"I just heard that you are a Pokemon Coordinator," said Cilan.

Kyon wonders, "What's a Pokemon Coordinator?"

Dawn is shocked. Haruhi reprimanded, "Kyon, you're just embarrassing her!"

"Sorry about that, Haruhi, but I really want to know what does a Pokemon Coordinator do."

Dawn explained, "A Pokemon Coordinator is a type of Pokemon trainer who shows his/her Pokemon's abilities. Participating in a Pokemon Contest feels exciting, and the contest appeals are amazing!"

She asked, "Who are those six people with you, Ash?"

After Brendan introduced himself, the SOS Brigade members did the same.

"So all five of you call yourselves the SOS Brigade?" Dawn asked to Haruhi.

"Yes, and our objective is to look for strange and weird occurrences," Haruhi replied.

"You mean something like ghosts or anything paranormal?"

"No. We're on the lookout for something like UFOs, aliens, and among others."

Cilan asked Dawn, "May I check if your Piplup has good taste?"

"What does 'taste' actually mean?" Kyon asked.

"'Taste' is what we Pokemon Connoisseurs use in telling how compatible the Pokemon is with its Trainer."

Dawn checks Iris's Axew with her Pokedex. It says, "Axew, the Tusk Pokemon. They crush berries with their tusks, which regrow if they fall out."

Kyon continued asking. "What is that gadget that Dawn just used?"

Yuki replied without Haruhi hearing her, "A Pokedex. It provides data for every Pokemon that is registered in its database."

"So you mean, it displays information for every Pokemon in existence?"

"Yes."

In the midst of the conversation, Brendan asked to Itsuki, "I don't have the slightest idea why is Kyon starting to become inquisitive."

"It so happens that he is probably curious and wants to know more."

"But he's too much of a snarker to be entering this 'serious business' of Pokemon battling, Itsuki!"

"You're right, Brendan. Though it is important for him to learn about this so-called 'serious business' that you've been talking about. In fact, there could be a situation when the only thing to do for him is to do a Pokemon battle."

"Ash, can you scan on Dawn's Piplup too for another demonstration?" Iris asked.

Ash pulled his Pokedex from his pocket. It said, "Piplup, the Penguin Pokemon. Despite its balance problems, it gets back up and maintains its strong pride."

"What else does it do?" Haruhi asked.

Ash replied, "It also checks a Pokemon's learned moves." He scans on his Pikachu's current moves.

"It says Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Iron Tail, and Thunderbolt."

"Are those names of attacks?" Kyon asked.

Ash replied, "Yes, Kyon. Every move is classified according to its type. For example, Thunderbolt and Electro Ball are Electric-type moves, while Iron Tail is a Steel-type move."

"So that means I have to select moves at random?"

"No, because sometimes, they may do little to no damage at all against a Pokemon of a specific type. For example, Electric-type moves like Thunderbolt do nothing against a Ground-type Pokemon."

"This is rather complex. I'd wish it were easier to understand." Kyon muttered.

Haruhi replied, "Of course everything here is complex! That's the reason why you must know everything about Pokemon, and it's serious business!"

Mikuru asked, "Uh, Iris, what are your Axew's moves?"

Iris replied, "Dragon Rage, Scratch, and Outrage. It learned Giga Impact just recently, so, it's the fourth move that it knows."

Piplup spots Meloetta, hiding invisibly behind the sofa. It tries to point to its trainer that it was behind them. Itsuki asks, "What's wrong with Piplup?"

"It apparently spotted Meloetta hiding behind us," Ash replied. Iris added, "It disappeared just before we went inside."

Dawn was puzzled. "I wonder what's with the secrecy. Are you talking about a rare Pokemon?"

"It will show up later. Perhaps I will show to Dawn and the SOS Brigade my Pokemon," Ash said.

"Me too," Iris added. "I will also introduce my Pokemon as well," said Cilan.

**Outside:**

Ash sent out Scraggy, Oshawott, Snivy, Pignite, and his recently caught Krokorok. Iris brought out Emolga and Excadrill, while Cilan sent out Pansage, Crustle, and Stunfisk.

Dawn approaches to the Pokemon and said, "It's nice to meet all of you. My name is Dawn," she added, "Now that Ash, Iris, and Cilan have sent their Pokemon, I'll send out mine!" She brings out Togekiss, Mamoswine, Buneary, Pachirisu, and Quilava.

Haruhi asked Kyon, "I have an idea! Shouldn't the SOS Brigade be doing the Pokemon guessing game! The one who names the most Pokemon correctly gets to be the brigade leader for a day! What do you say, Kyon?"

Kyon replied, "Uh, ok. The only Pokemon I know are Pikachu, Axew and Piplup. I don't know about the others."

Haruhi guessed, "I think that white dove Pokemon is called a Togekiss! That brown mole with silver claws is an Excadrill, the brown rabbit Pokemon is a Buneary, and the brown crocodile is called a Krokorok, am I right, guys?"

"You guessed it correctly, Haruhi. But what about the others? Do they know the names of the other Pokemon too?" Brendan asked.

"I think it's called a Pansage, the Pokemon with a green cauliflower on its head, and I also thought that Stunfisk could be that brown fish Pokemon." Mikuru said.

"The yellow and white electric squirrels are Emolga and Pachirisu, respectively," said Itsuki.

Kyon asked, "Do you know the names of some Pokemon, Miss Nagato?"

Yuki pointed and said," Yes. The Fire and Fighting-type pig Pokemon is Pignite, and the Dark and Fighting-type lizard is called Scraggy."

"And the winner is. . . . . . . Haruhi again. No wonder she can probably memorize the names of each and every single Pokemon in existence," Kyon narrated.

Dawn asked, "So, Ash, are you planning to participate in the Junior Cup?"

Mikuru asked, "What's a Junior Cup?"

"The Junior Cup is an upcoming tournament," replied Ash.

"We are planning to stay here in Cynthia's villa, and go to the Junior Cup together," Cilan added.

"I will also train here," Dawn said.

"Looks like this will be interesting!" Ash got fired up as he said those words.

"Kyon, what do you think? We should participate in the Junior Cup as well!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"But Haruhi, isn't it ironic that we don't have any Pokemon?" said Kyon.

"Yeah, you're right," Haruhi frowned. Suddenly, she had an idea.

"Perhaps we can borrow from Brendan!"

"Me? Okay, here's the deal. You can borrow, but not a lot, because I can only carry six of them," Brendan replied.

Pikachu, Piplup, and Buneary noticed Meloetta hiding its presence behind Ash and Cilan.

"I wonder what's with your Pikachu, Ash?" Haruhi asked.

"Meloetta is probably here," Ash replied. He yells, "Meloetta, come out now! Dawn, her Pokemon, and the SOS Brigade are our friends!"

Meloetta approaches and appears before Dawn. The latter wondered, "Is that a Pokemon?"

The Melody Pokemon shied away behind Ash. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Meloetta."

"Your name is Meloetta, right? My name is Dawn," the Pokemon Coordinator introduced herself to it.

She asked," Isn't Meloetta a legendary Pokemon?"

Ash replied, "According to Cynthia, it is, but. . . . . . . we don't know just yet."

**A few minutes later:**

"Now that Meloetta showed up, let's battle!" Ash said to Dawn.

Cilan interrupted, "Before you battle with Dawn, let me battle her first. After all, she is a Pokemon Coordinator."

Ash frowned and sighed.

Haruhi had an idea. "I know! Kyon and I should battle Dawn and Cilan! That would be cool!" She turned her head to Kyon. "Hey, Kyon. This is your time to shine. Learn to experience that happened in my previous battle, okay?"

Kyon whispered to Itsuki and asked, "Seriously, do I have to do this?"

"Sure, as long as you must make it another fun experience with Miss Suzumiya."

**_On the next chapter:_**

Haruhi Suzumiya and Kyon get to battle a Pokemon Coordinator and Pokemon Connoisseur. Later, when she finds out from Dawn that there is a rare Pokemon living on an island, she decides to recruit Ash and his friends as honorary members of the SOS Brigade and decides to go there with her new recruits. What else will happen next? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!


	3. Seinfeldian Conversation

_I hope you all enjoyed reading the first two chapters. The plot may sound predictable, but take note that this fic takes place from the beginning of Best Wishes Season 2, so please bear with me._

* * *

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Seinfeldian Conversation**_

"Both of you, before you battle, you will temporarily take custody of my two Poke Balls." Brendan gave them to Haruhi and Kyon.

"Suzumiya, the Poke Ball you are holding contains a Mienfoo. These are the moves that it knows." Brendan whispered to Haruhi, and the latter said, "Those are great moves! Looks like I'm getting fired up for this battle."

"Kyon, the Pokemon inside this Poke Ball is called a Larvesta, and I will tell you the moves it knows."

After a whisper from Brendan, Kyon said, "Does it learn any other stronger moves? It is best to overpower the foe with a strong attack."

Brendan replied, "Even the moves that only pack little to moderate power can actually cause massive damage. Take note that the more stronger the move is, it is more likely to miss very often."

Jeremy declared, "I will be taking on the role of the referee. This is a one-on-one double battle between Dawn and Cilan, the Pokemon Coordinator and Pokemon Connoisseur, respectively, and Haruhi Suzumiya and Kyon of the SOS Brigade. The winner is determined when both Pokemon on the other side are knocked out. Let the battle begin!"

"Kyon, show me your Pokemon battling skills. Meet my premium brand, Pansage!" Cilan sent out his Pansage.

"Haruhi Suzumiya, prepare to be amazed with my next contest appeal. Piplup, take the stage!" Piplup is sent out, spinning and eventually landing on the ground flawlessly.

"You haven't seen nothing yet. I choose you!" Haruhi sends out Brendan's Mienfoo from its Poke Ball.

"Uh, here goes nothing. Larvesta, come out!" Kyon brings out Brendan's Larvesta into the field.

Brendan went to the battlefield and informed Larvesta, "Larvesta, you will be battling for Kyon. Do whatever he tells you to do."

He then went over to Mienfoo. "You'll do the same thing as well, but in this case, you'll be fighting for Haruhi." The two Pokemon nodded and agreed.

Cilan commented, "Dawn, that was a nice taste you got there."

Dawn replied to Cilan, "This is the importance of how a Pokemon is brought out in a Pokemon Contest."

"I will make the first move. Pansage, use Rock Tomb on Larvesta!" Cilan's Pansage creates a giant boulder that breaks down into smaller boulders.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam!" Piplup fires its attack, also targeting at Larvesta.

Haruhi commanded, "Mienfoo, intercept both moves with Rock Smash!" The Martial Arts Pokemon smashes Rock Tomb and Bubblebeam with a single karate chop, leaving Larvesta unharmed, and at the same time, creating sparks in the battlefield.

"I'm impressed with that Rock Smash. It seems Haruhi is getting used to contest appeals," said Dawn.

"Kyon, it's your turn to attack," said Haruhi.

"Uh, Larvesta, use Flamethrower on Pansage?"

"Just yell it out properly, Kyon!"

"Okay. Larvesta, Flamethrower on Pansage!" The Torch Pokemon releases a stream of fire, targeting its attack at the Grass Monkey Pokemon for an effective hit. Pansage eventually gets up.

"That was a good strategy you just did, Kyon." Cilan suddenly started his usual routine of evaluating his opponent's Pokemon by snapping his finger and saying, "It's evaluating time!"

Dawn and Kyon were stunned. Outside the battlefield, Iris deadpanned, "Not this again."

Itsuki asked, "Iris, is this your reaction every time your friend Cilan makes an evaluation of his opponent's Pokemon?"

"Well, yeah, he really loves to do this in a Pokemon battle," Iris then replied.

Cilan commented, "Yes, Larvesta and Mienfoo appear to be defining the true example of teamwork. Defending Larvesta from attacks that it is weak to with Rock Smash adds up the flavors! Not to mention, I also conclude that Piplup is fitting enough to make such appeal in contests!"

"Do Pokemon Connoisseurs act like this?" Dawn wondered, her sweat suddenly dropping.

"Dawn, let's finish this together. Pansage, use Solarbeam!" said Cilan.

"Piplup, use Ice Beam!"

"Mienfoo, Aura Sphere!"

"Larvesta, use your own Solarbeam!"

The attacks of both sides collide with each other, Aura Sphere with Pansage's Solarbeam, and Larvesta's own Solarbeam with Ice Beam, creating a chain of fireworks.

"Kyon, Mienfoo is supposed to target Piplup, not Larvesta!" Haruhi fussed.

"You didn't even mention where Mienfoo should target its Aura Sphere," Kyon replied.

Meloetta went off to the battlefield to make a dance with all the four Pokemon.

Cynthia commented, "Meloetta must be impressed with all of Piplup's contest moves. I can't believe it."

"I am also moved!" Iris added.

"So this is how contest appeals are like," Mikuru wondered.

"I also concluded that that battle was very impressive due to the visual appeals that all the four Pokemon just created," Itsuki said.

"The battle shall be called off," Jeremy said.

Ash approached Meloetta and said, "What do you think, Meloetta? We'll all be participating in a tournament, and I hope you cheer all of us, as well as the SOS Brigade."

Haruhi recalled Mienfoo. Unfortunately, Kyon asks Brendan, "How come Haruhi knew how to recall Mienfoo that way?"

"It's easy. Just say the name of the Pokemon, point the Poke Ball at it, then 'return.'"

"Uh. . . . . Larvesta, return." Kyon points the Poke Ball at Larvesta and successfully recalls it.

The two eventually returned the Poke Balls to Brendan. "Thanks for letting us borrow your Poke Balls. It would be nice to see Kyon participate in Pokemon battles, right?"

Kyon sighed and deadpanned once more. "I'd wish to see Miss Nagato, Miss Asahina and Koizumi also competing in a Pokemon battle like this."

**Later:**

That late afternoon, the gang were enjoying snacks on the balcony.

"Hey, Kyon. I never knew that you would actually be good at Pokemon battles. Perhaps you should battle Iris next! Or maybe Ash!" Haruhi said.

"Our battle with Haruhi and Kyon has not been done just yet, right Dawn?" Cilan interrupted.

"Yeah, you're right, but next time, I would like Haruhi Suzumiya to be my partner, and Cilan should tag up with Kyon," said Dawn.

"But I'm supposed to battle you," Ash said to Dawn.

"Alright, alright. Let's battle right after these two," Dawn replied.

The conversation was interrupted with Meloetta's singing. The Melody Pokemon was sitting on a rock at the beach, singing a song.

"That was soothing," Ash said.

"Not to mention it is of the best flavor," Cilan added.

"Miss Nagato, do you like how I did on the double battle earlier?" Kyon asked to Yuki.

"Yes. Very unique."

"Guys, I'll be leaving today to a nearby Pokemon Center. Just go and take care of yourselves," Brendan said.

"Bye!" They all said in unison.

That late in the night, Ash, Iris, Dawn, Cilan, Cynthia, and the five members of the SOS Brigade ate dinner in a table near the dining room courtesy of Jeremy.

"Here's a special treat for tonight's dinner." Jeremy brought into the table a medium-sized bowl containing chocolate cornets.

Haruhi grabs one and asked, "Hey, can you guys tell me which side of a chocolate cornet should be eaten first?"

Ash thought, "I believe that it's the tail that must be eaten first, right, Pikachu?" Pikachu agreed with a nod.

"But Ash, you could spill all of the chocolate inside. Well, what a kid." Iris responded.

"What was that?" Ash yelled. Everyone laughed.

"It's kinda funny if you created a chocolate mustache for biting on the fat end," Dawn added.

"I've always thought that the head is the portion with the chocolate inside," Mikuru said.

Kyon thought in his usual fashion, "There goes the ultimate question of ultimate nonsense. It seems that they raised a question that girls used to talk about, and it is pretty clear that everyone, even Haruhi, lost some of their character development just to reenact some cliche on steroids."

Suddenly, Cilan grabbed a chocolate cornet, stood up and said, "I'll take this chocolate cornet, and eat it!" Everyone sweat dropped.

"Well, I was just trying to think of something new for my 'evaluating time' routine," Cilan responded.

Itsuki whispered beside Kyon, "It's a good thing that Miss Suzumiya is happy in her own reality; the chances of occurrences of closed spaces are reduced in a smaller rate."

"Koizumi, I hope Haruhi won't be doing anything embarrassing in front of Ash and his friends."

Ash, his friends, and the SOS Brigade were assigned to sleep in two bedrooms. Ash, Cilan, Kyon and Itsuki were in one room, while Haruhi, Mikuru, Yuki, Iris, and Dawn slept in another.

"Good grief, there are only two beds," Kyon sighed. Itsuki replied, "At least each bed is king-sized and is fit for two, so we can sleep together, and Ash and Cilan will stay on the other."

"Ash, according to Itsuki, let's sleep in the other bed," said Cilan. The four eventually slept.

Kyon thought in his sleep, "I hope Haruhi isn't creating another round of madness in the other room. . . . . . "

Meanwhile, in the other room, the girls were already asleep. In all of a sudden, Iris is suddenly dreaming. . . .

* * *

_Iris and Brendan are standing beside a table in a dark, but well-lit, empty room._

_"Iris, take a seat." Iris and Brendan both sat on the two chairs beside the table, the latter suddenly doing a familiar pose. He crossed his hands on his face, wearing a shiny pair of glasses. _

_"Perhaps, would you like to make a contract with Haruhi Suzumiya and become a magical. . . . .uh. . . member of the SOS Brigade?" Brendan asked._

_"Just what are you, some personal manager of Haruhi who quotes Kyubey?" Iris yelled, "And why would you want me to join their group?"_

_"Not exactly, Iris, but first, I act as the mediator between you and Haruhi. And lastly, __she might want to recruit more members in the future, so, what do you think?__"_

_"Does it involve becoming a magical girl?"_

_"Nope."_

_"Would it turn me into a witch?"_

_"No."_

_"Does it involve a lifetime membership of some sort?"_

___"Yes. You can be a member of Haruhi's group, as long as you make a contract with her."_

___"Will you stop quoting Kyubey already?!" Iris yelled._

___"Think about it, Iris. That's how Haruhi formed her brigade. After all, she even made sure they withdraw from the other groups they also participated in."_

_"Uh, I don't know. . . . . but. . . . . . " _

* * *

Iris suddenly fell off the bed, causing Dawn to wake up and say in a soft voice, "Iris, what's wrong with you? Were you dreaming or something?"

"Yeah, you were right, you just caught me," Iris replied, her right hand rubbing her neck.

**The next day:**

Kyon and Itsuki woke up in the bed that they were sleeping on, only to find out that Ash and Cilan are no longer in their respective bed. "I wonder where Ash and Cilan went," said Kyon.

Itsuki replied, "They were probably doing an early morning training with their Pokemon."

"I wonder if Haruhi and the others are still in the other room."

When they arrived at the door, Itsuki knocked. It wasn't locked. But when they entered the room, they all disappeared, even Haruhi herself.

"Tell me, Koizumi. Did Haruhi and the others just go off with Dawn and Iris?" Kyon asked.

Itsuki replied, "Well, they probably wanted to watch them train with their Pokemon at the beach. We should check them out."

They headed outside, to the beach where they spotted Haruhi, Yuki, and Mikuru watching Ash, Dawn, Cilan, and Iris train with their Pokemon.

"We must win the tournament, Oshawott and we can't lose!" Ash exclaimed.

"Same with me," Iris added, as her Excadrill and Axew are seen battling with each other. "Neither am I, Pansage!" Cilan said.

Dawn sighed and said, "Training can be so exhausting. Take a break from time to time!"

She approached Haruhi and said, "If you are interested, there's a deserted island not far from Undella Bay. Wanna go?"

Haruhi replied, "Ordinary vacation trips don't interest me."

"Of course it's interesting and fun! I have heard from Jeremy that there is a rare Onix living in that deserted island!"

Iris and Mikuru asked, "Who's that Pokemon?"

Ash responded, "You mean, Onix?" He pulled out his Pokedex from his pocket and it said, "Onix, the Rock Snake Pokemon. It causes rumblings and tremors as it burrows underground. It can travel at 50 miles per hour."

"A rare Onix? Perhaps I want to go and find this rare Pokemon!" said Ash and Haruhi excitedly in unison.

"I guess that's settled. Let's all go together!" said Iris.

Haruhi asked, "Hey, Kyon. Can you guess what time is it?"

"Please don't tell me it's adventure time."

**In the dock:**

Jeremy escorted the group to the boat docked on a pier.

"I will take you to the island. Please take a ride," he said.

"I can't believe we're actually going by boat!" Ash said in an excited tone.

Iris replied, "Well, what a kid."

Dawn added, "Apparently, you're right, Iris. He's really acting like one."

Ash responded by saying, "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Everyone laughed, except Kyon, who was rather sarcastic about the remarks of Dawn and Iris about Ash.

"Iris, aren't you seeing the irony in here?" Kyon said to Iris.

"How dare you, Kyon! How dare you!" Iris yelled.

Meloetta showed its presence to the group. Ash asked it, "Meloetta, would you like to go with us?" The Melody Pokemon nodded, meaning it said yes.

Ash's Oshawott and Dawn's Piplup rivaled with each other to see who gains the attention of Meloetta.

Jeremy informed, "I would like to inform you that the boat can only sit up to 6 persons. I will be returning to fetch the next batch."

Ash, Dawn, Cilan, and Iris went for a ride. Haruhi dragged Mikuru along as well.

"Come on, Mikuru! Just take a ride already! Resistance is futile!" Yelps of "No!" were heard, but Haruhi forced her anyway to ride on the boat.

"How about you, Kyon? Would you like to come?" Haruhi asked.

"But the boat can only accommodate 6 people. Koizumi, Miss Nagato and I will stay and wait here. In the meantime, you can have Iris, Ash, Cilan, and Dawn as temporary members of the SOS Brigade. Besides, one of them is probably interested in weird mysteries like UFOs or even strange occurrences."

Haruhi sighed and said, "This would have been fun and interesting if we all went out to investigate together, Kyon."

She eventually changed her mind and said," Alright then, I declare that Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan become honorary members of the SOS Brigade. What do you think, guys?"

Iris deadpanned and said, "If it involves time travelers and aliens, I doubt that Cilan could use a lot of work to prove it."

While Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Haruhi, and Mikuru set off for the island, Kyon, Itsuki, and Yuki returned to Cynthia's villa to do some work.

A knock was heard in the entrance door. When Itsuki opened it, it was Brendan.

"So, Koizumi, how are you doing? Are you all here?"

"We're actually the only ones here, with Kyon and Miss Nagato. Miss Suzumiya and the rest of the others went on a vacation to a deserted island."

"So, what do you do here?"

"Just doing some chores for Cynthia. She was also away for a while today."

"Perhaps I can help you and Kyon out, Itsuki."

"With pleasure, Brendan."

While Brendan, Itsuki, and Kyon were washing the dishes in the kitchen, Mikuru and Yuki were sweeping the floors, the former dressed up in a maid outfit. When the five finished their chores, they were all exhausted.

"I never knew that doing all the housekeeping would be tiring," Kyon said.

"At least we did all the work for Jeremy while he was bringing Haruhi, Ash, and his friends to the island," Brendan replied.

On the next chapter:

Haruhi Suzumiya and her new recruits, Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan begin their quest to look for the rare Onix. Meanwhile, in the villa, Ryoko Asakura makes a visit. Is she there just to kill Kyon yet again? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Ever wondered why the chapter titles are so familiar? They are all references to TV Tropes._

_References in this chapter:_

_Adventure Time, __Death Note, __Lucky Star, __Puella Magi Madoka Magica, __Neon Genesis Evangelion, __Shakugan no Shana (Ash quotes Shana's catchphrase if translated in English)_


	4. The Reveal

_This chapter is an alternate retelling of Best Wishes episode 87._

**Chapter 4**

**The Reveal**

On the boat, Haruhi conducted a sort of briefing as she wore her signature armband on her left arm.

"Ok, as new members of the SOS Brigade, all of you must simply look for anything unusual, weird and strange. Any questions?"

"Haruhi, does the rare Onix count as one?" Dawn asked.

"Sure, as long as it's a special case of strange phenomena."

Ash asked Jeremy, "Do you know anything about that rare Onix?"

Jeremy replied, "No, however I do know that there are Onix living in that island. In one of the groups of these Pokemon living there, a rare Onix was discovered. It is said that one would be fortunate enough if he or she spotted that rare Pokemon."

"It is?" Mikuru asked.

"Yes. But that's what other people say."

When the boat neared close to the beach, the gang disembarked.

Jeremy warned, "Be careful and take care of yourselves. I will be back to pick all of you up for dinner." He then steered the boat back to the mainland.

Cilan thought, "This place has a strange flavor in it."

Pikachu, Axew, Pansage, Oshawott, and Piplup are playing with Meloetta at the beach. As the latter two get chased by a Krabby and a Kingler, respectively, Haruhi wonders, "Ash, isn't that a Krabby biting after your Oshawott's tail?"

"You got it right," Ash replied, "Hey, Dawn. Can you check out your Pokedex?"

"Sure, ok then." She scans Krabby on her Pokedex, and it said, "Krabby, the River Crab Pokemon. On the beach, Krabby live on burrows dug on the sand. Its pincers grow back if they are detached."

"And what's the other larger crab Pokemon called?"

Dawn's Pokedex scanned on the Kingler and it said, "Kingler, the Pincer Pokemon, and the evolved form of Krabby. While having 10,000 horsepower strength, its larger pincer is heavy, making it difficult to aim accurately."

The gang notice a rumbling sound. It was from Ash and Haruhi's tummy.

"I'm so bored. Is there someone who prepares lunch in here?" Haruhi asked.

"Leave it to Cilan to save the day," Ash replied.

"That's right. I think this is the right time to eat some lunch. While I cook, all of you have fun, ok?" Cilan said.

Ash, Dawn, and Iris were playing in the shore, while Haruhi and Mikuru were making sand castles. Cilan was, of course, cooking lunch with his Pansage. Dawn's Piplup and Ash's Oshawott were arguing with each other over Meloetta until they were carried away by the waves caused by Pikachu's surfing.

When the lunch was ready, Ash, Cilan, Mikuru, Haruhi, Dawn, and Iris were eating, and they were all having a conversation.

"The way Cilan prepared the food truly rivals that of Brock's," Dawn commented.

Haruhi, Mikuru, and Iris wondered, "Who is Brock?"

"Yeah. The three of you don't know who Brock is. He is a friend of mine who used to travel with us and also does the cooking," said Ash. Dawn added, "Right now, he is studying to become a Pokemon Doctor."

"Pokemon Doctor?" Haruhi asked.

"Yes, Haruhi. A Pokemon Doctor. He decided to study Pokemon medicine after he managed to heal a group of Pokemon inflicted with poison."

"And where is he now?" Cilan questioned Ash.

He replied, "In the Kanto region."

"Hey, isn't Kanto farther away from Unova?" Haruhi asked.

"Well, you guessed it correctly, Haruhi," said Ash as he rubbed his neck.

When they finished eating lunch:

"Now that everyone has eaten lunch, let's begin the adventure!" Iris cried out.

The gang went to the corridor leading to a cave.

"These Onix live in caves like this one," Ash said to Cilan, pointing out to the cave's entrance.

Dawn snarked, "Wasn't that captain obvious?"

"He thinks he really knows everything, what a kid!" Iris added.

"You're right, Iris. He thinks he's smarter than the average kid."

Ash yelled, "Shut up, shut up, shut up! I'm going in first."

When Ash decided to enter the cave first, Haruhi asked him, "Ash, aren't we supposed to go there together? It's dangerous to go alone."

Just as Ash was entering the cave, a swarm of Woobat flew past him, causing him to fall over.

"Are you alright, Ash?" Mikuru said as she approached Ash.

Haruhi, Dawn, Piplup, and Iris entered the cave first. The latter two said, "It's just a swarm of Woobat. What a kid."

Cilan thought and deadpanned, "Something tells me that Dawn and Iris are giving off a combined flavor."

Inside the cave, Cilan commented, "This really is a big cave."

Mikuru was scared. She shivered and said, "W-w-w-what if we all got lost inside?"

Ash confidently said, "There's no need to fear, Mikuru. Even Haruhi and the rest of us aren't afraid of caves," he added, "Apparently, those Onix are of the right size to live here."

Cilan was surprised when he said those words. "Those Onix are huge?"

"I have heard that they make caves like this one that are very wide enough for them to live in," Dawn replied.

"So what if an Onix appeared in front of us?" Haruhi asked Dawn.

"We simply have to flee."

"That's not even funny!" Iris exclaimed.

Iris's answer to Haruhi's question did become true. A rumbling was felt throughout the cave, and it was a wild Onix charging past them.

Iris was blue with shock. "Was that the rare Onix?"

"No, it's a regularly colored one!" Ash replied.

"And it's really huge!" Mikuru added.

"That means we must have to go!"

Haruhi was still standing there when Cilan dragged her and said, "Haruhi, don't just stand there. Let's find a place to escape!"

The gang attempted to flee, but they make encounters with other Onix. As a result, Dawn, Haruhi, and Iris ended up getting separated from Ash, Cilan, and Mikuru as they eventually left the cave exhausted.

"Where's Mikuru and the others?" Haruhi asked.

"We were separated," Dawn replied.

She suddenly noticed that Piplup wasn't with her and shouted, "Piplup! Where are you?"

"Wasn't Piplup with Ash and the others?" Iris wondered.

"Oh, man. I'm so bored. Where is that special Pokemon anyway?" Haruhi frowned and sighed.

"No need to worry. It will eventually show up." Dawn comforted her.

"Perhaps we should go back to the cave?" Iris asked Dawn.

The latter replied, "Sure."

"I'll stay here. I'm not going back unless you meet that rare Onix," Haruhi demanded.

While Haruhi waited outside, Dawn and Iris attempted to return to the cave, tiptoeing very slowly, but they encountered yet another angry Onix, causing the two to flee.

"So, was that the rare Onix you two just discovered?"

"No, Haruhi. Just an ordinary one," Dawn replied.

"What does that Onix look like, anyway?"

"Just like any other Onix, but it's probably very special and unique. It's the only thing I know about rare Pokemon though."

"So, let's continue looking for it."

"We better go back to the beach before we resume," Iris suggested.

"But why stop looking for that special Pokemon? It would be a moment of glory for the SOS Brigade if we spotted it even without Kyon and the others."

"We will keep encountering angry Onix if we do, Haruhi."

"Even if it means dealing with angry Pokemon, we still have to look for the rarest of them all. So let's go for it!" the brigade leader exclaimed.

**Meanwhile:**

Ash, Cilan, and Mikuru left the other side of the cave, also exhausted, as well as Meloetta, Dawn's Piplup, and the former two's Pokemon.

"I wonder where's Haruhi?" Ash asked.

"She must have went with Iris and Dawn," Cilan replied.

"Then that means we're lost and separated!" Mikuru cried as she shed a tear.

Cilan calmed her down and said, "Now, now, Asahina, don't cry. We will eventually meet up with them really soon. We promise."

"You do?"

"We will," assured Cilan.

"Cilan, we can't stop here! This is Woobat country," said Ash.

"Yes, Ash, but we must be careful. You have to remember that this is also the Onix's territory that we are crossing into."

"Nevertheless, we must look for that rare Onix while we still can!"

"Do we still have to search for it?"

"Yes. Haruhi and I are both expressing interest in finding that rare Pokemon."

Cilan said, "You have to take note that the cave looks like a labyrinth of some sort. I suggest we go back to the beach and hatch a plan there." Ash agreed.

The three were walking on a pathway in the forest. Mikuru nervously said, "I have a favor to tell to you, well, both of you and Ash."

Cilan and Ash were sitting on a rock while she explained. "The truth is, I don't come from this period of time. I am from the future."

Ash was surprised, "What! You came from the future? Seriously?"

"Yes. Though I cannot tell both of you or anyone from the past from which timeline I came from, because if I do, this simply causes a time paradox."

"I see," Cilan deduced, "If you are from the future, do you have a time machine?"

"Yes, but that's classified information if you and Ash want to know what it looks like, so-"

"What does 'classified information' mean, anyway?" Ash asked.

"Simply put, it is a secret to everyone."

"Why do you always say that?" Ash asked.

"Like what I said earlier, I cannot tell you what the future looks like and what happens in that time plane."

"So that's why you were keeping things to yourself," Cilan assumed.

Mikuru added, "Oh, by the way, just don't tell Haruhi Suzumiya about this. She's the one reason why I was here in the first place."

"And why's that?"

"As you can see, a time quake was witnessed a few years ago. No matter how we traveled through time, we only landed at the same time plane."

Cilan deduced and said, "It's a rather complex mystery. Once again, it's science time! After all, I happen to be a Science Connoisseur."

"Science Connoisseur?" Mikuru wondered.

"Yes. I know anything about science and science fiction, like time travel."

He then asked Mikuru, "So, to continue the question, who was the one who caused it?"

"Miss Suzumiya herself was the one person behind this time distortion. She doesn't know the fact that she has the capability to alter reality and destroy the world with it. I cannot explain the other details because it's classified."

Ash and Cilan were surprised when Mikuru said those words. "Apparently, she must be at Arceus's level of mass destruction," said the former.

"Arceus? Is that a Pokemon?" Cilan and Mikuru wondered.

Ash replied, "Arceus is a legendary Pokemon that Dawn and I encountered when I was traveling in an old town in the Sinnoh region."

He pulled out his Pokedex and it said, "Arceus, the Alpha Pokemon. It is said in mythology that this Pokemon emerged from an egg and created the universe with its 1,000 arms."

"When we encountered Arceus, it was about to destroy the world because of a misunderstanding, but we managed to save it by traveling through time and reversing what went wrong," Ash added.

Mikuru said, "Ash, you experienced time travel too?"

"Yes. It was Dialga who sent us back in time." He scanned his Pokedex again, and it said, "Dialga, the Temporal Pokemon. A deity in the myths of the Sinnoh region, Dialga is said to be capable of travelling through time."

"It's a good thing Dialga's method of time travel is different from the TPDD."

Ash asked, "TPDD? What does it look like?"

"That's classified, because I can only tell you that it's a time machine of some sort."

Cilan deduced, "Let me guess, you're a time traveler, right? Then what are Haruhi's powers like?"

"Whenever she thinks of something, it becomes real. The reason why we are here is because she became interested in Pokemon, and this became the result."

"I see. If you can't believe in yourself. . . . . ," Cilan quoted.

". . . . believe in the Ash who believes in you," Ash continued.

"What are you two talking about?" Mikuru said.

"Ash and I were just convincing you that we won't tell a thing about your identity."

Ash asked, "Can we tell Dawn and Iris about this?"

"Sure, as long as Suzumiya won't hear any word about it. And it's best not for her to find out."

Just as they were about to arrive at the beach, a wild Onix suddenly appeared, digging out from the ground, leaving Ash, Cilan, and Mikuru surprised.

Meloetta was frightened from the surprise attack. Dawn's Piplup and Ash's Oshawott used their Water-type moves to attack the Onix, causing it to flee.

Mikuru commented, "I wonder why that Pokemon was hurt badly by water."

"Water-type moves deal massive damage on a Rock-type Pokemon like Onix," Cilan said.

Meloetta suddenly disappeared from sight. The ground trembled all around Ash, Cilan, and Mikuru.

The latter thought, "Is it an earthquake?"

It turns out to be three more Onix emerging from the ground.

"Oshawott, use Water Gun. Piplup, use Bubblebeam!" Ash commanded.

Unfortunately, the Onix dodged both attacks.

Just as they were about to charge at the three, Meloetta used its signature move, Relic Song and changed its form.

"Could it be?" Cilan wondered.

Meloetta's hair changed from green to auburn, and its eye color has also changed.

Now in Pirouette Forme, the Melody Pokemon used Close Combat like it were dancing on the three Onix, causing them to flee.

"That was Close Combat," Ash said.

Cilan said, "You could imagine that it uses its attack like it were dancing in a stage. It feels like as if Meloetta made a good impression of Ranka Lee."

Meloetta reverted back to its Aria Forme and was being congratulated by Ash.

"That was incredible, Meloetta, and thanks for saving us!" exclaimed Ash, causing Meloetta to blush.

**Back at Cynthia's villa:**

Kyon, Itsuki, and Brendan were sitting in the sofas in the living room, exhausted from all their activities. Yuki was sitting on a chair next to them, reading a small book.

"I wonder if Jeremy went back," Kyon said.

Just as he said those words, the butler opened the main entrance door. He said, "If any of you want to come to the island, perhaps I can also take all of you there."

"No, thank you," Brendan replied, "What about you three? You wanna come?"

"I would rather want to go and check Haruhi out," Kyon replied.

"Why don't you stay here? Besides, it's a good idea for Haruhi to teach her new members about the objectives of that brigade of yours," Brendan suggested to Kyon, "And of course, Jeremy can't possibly be the only one to stay here, do you?"

"Uh, ok."

"I will set up dinner while all of you are taking a break."

10 minutes later, a knock on the door was heard.

When Brendan opened it, it was Ryoko Asakura, much to Kyon's shock. She was dressed in casual attire, with a Poke Ball design on her cap.

"Isn't this the villa where a Pokemon Champion from another region spends her vacations to?" She looks at Kyon, Itsuki, and Yuki and added, "Hey, it's the people from the SOS Brigade! How are you? Oh, where's Miss Suzumiya and Miss Asahina?"

Itsuki replied, "They went on vacation."

"I see. Who's your friend beside you?"

"It's Brendan. He traveled with us as well as with those people Koizumi told you about," Kyon replied. He thought to himself, "I never knew that Miss Asakura would show up all along. Is she here just to kill me again with that knife of hers?"

Ryoko wondered, "What's the matter, Kyon? I want to know what's with the weird look on your face."

"Well, it's nothing," Kyon replied and thought, "I think."

When Jeremy went back, he noticed Ryoko sitting on the sofa.

"Looks like we have a new guest. Is she a friend of yours?" the butler asked Brendan.

"Actually, she's a friend of Kyon, Itsuki, and Yuki," the latter replied.

"I will prepare some snacks for Miss Asakura in the kitchen. I will be right back."

"So, what's with your stay in this villa?" Ryoko asked.

"We were actually finding a good place to stay, so we're here," Itsuki replied.

Kyon facepalmed and thought, "I hope this would all go away when Haruhi and her new recruits return."

On the next chapter:

The mayhem on the island ends as Haruhi, Ash, Dawn, Cilan, and Iris finally discover the rare Onix and return to the villa. Meanwhile, the psychotic Ryoko Asakura truly makes yet another surprise attempt to kill Kyon using her Reuniclus. Will Yuki Nagato once again come to the rescue to save him from this turn of events? Find out in The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_Author's note: There is a reference to the 12th Pokemon movie when Mikuru explains to Ash and Cilan about Haruhi's powers._

_References in this chapter:_

_Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Macross Frontier, Yogi Bear, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Legend of Zelda, Shakugan no Shana_


	5. Does This Remind You of Anything?

_This chapter continues the conversation at the end of the previous one. I feel that this chapter is very long enough, so. . . .yeah. Enjoy the story._

_**Chapter 5**_

_**Does This Remind You of Anything?**_

"Since when did you find out that Haruhi and Miss Asahina went off with Ash and his friends?" Kyon asked and whispered Brendan.

"I was just heading to the beach to look for you when I overheard a familiar voice saying that she will recruit Ash and his friends as new members of your brigade. That was when I found out that it was Haruhi who said that."

"Yeah, good hearing," Kyon concluded.

**Meanwhile:**

Dawn, Haruhi, and Iris walked into a dead end.

"Oh man, I'm so bored. Where in the world is that Onix anyway?" Haruhi asked in frustration.

"I wonder where we should go." Iris suddenly pointed left. "Let's head for this way!"

Dawn opted for the opposite side. "I suggest we go the opposite direction."

"But why?"

"No logical reason."

"It doesn't make sense when you don't explain the reason at all."

"There's no need to worry, right, Haruhi?" She drags Haruhi and Iris along.

Unfortunately, the trio ended up in another dead end.

"Dawn, you're making Haruhi more annoyed!" Iris exclaimed.

"Sorry about that, Iris, but it was just my wild mass guessing. Perhaps we should turn right!"

"I'm going for Iris's direction," Haruhi muttered.

"Then that means Haruhi and I suggest we go left!" Iris said.

"And why is that?"

"No logical reason."

"Why do you imitate my wild mass guessing, Iris?"

"My sense of direction is always correct. Let's go!"

Unfortunately, Iris's plan also backfired when they end up in a deep abyss close to the beach.

"Why are the two of you arguing over which way to go?" Haruhi exclaimed.

"Well, we were just looking for directions, that's all," Iris replied.

Iris noticed a wild Magnemite floating beside her.

"Aww. That's a rare Pokemon that I have never seen before!"

When she touched the Magnemite, she was warned by Dawn and Haruhi. "Don't touch it!"

"Of course I can." Iris was then shocked by the Magnet Pokemon's Thunderbolt.

Meanwhile, Dawn spots a wild Foongus.

"It's a Pokemon that I have not seen before!" Dawn exclaimed.

Haruhi and Iris warned, "Don't poke on it, Dawn!"

"No need to worry." Dawn was then attacked using Stun Spore.

"Foongus can attack anyone using Stun Spore!" Iris exclaimed.

Suddenly, Dawn and Haruhi spotted a Ferroseed.

"Isn't that a Ferroseed?" the two wondered.

The former checked Ferroseed on her Pokedex. It said, "Ferroseed, the Thorn Seed Pokemon. It shoots a barrage of spikes when threatened, which also gives it a chance of escaping."

"Can I touch it?" Haruhi asked Iris as she did what she did on the Thorn Seed Pokemon.

Haruhi pricked her finger for touching on Ferroseed's spikes, causing her to scream "Ouch, that hurt!"

"It did because of its Iron Barbs ability," Iris replied, "Here, I'll wrap your finger with a bandage."

_(scene transition)_

In the bushes, Dawn, Iris, and Haruhi continued their search, when suddenly, an Onix appeared in front of them, much to their shock. The three all run.

"What are we all running for?" Haruhi asked.

"There's another Onix behind us!" Iris replied.

**Meanwhile:**

Ash, Mikuru, and Cilan spot a dead end.

"Another dead end?"

"I knew it that we were heading the wrong direction the whole time, Ash," Cilan responded.

"Those are strange rocks. But they are seemingly familiar," Ash said.

Mikuru touches a rock, wondering, "I wonder what does this rock look like." Turns out she prodded an Onix by the tail, causing a group of them to chase after the trio.

They eventually met up with Iris, Haruhi, and Dawn, who were also chased by wild Onix.

"Alright, now that all of us are in one piece, we must do something with those Onix and leave them suffering the agony of defeat!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"Oshawott, use Water Gun!"

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam!"

They successfully hit several of the Rock Snake Pokemon with their attacks. But more Onix appeared from their sight.

"Use Aqua Jet!"

"Piplup, use Headbutt!"

Oshawott ricocheted at the Onix with Aqua Jet, however, the impact caused it to become dizzy. Meanwhile Piplup butts heads with the Onix, but the recoil also made Piplup look dizzy.

Meloetta screamed for help. This causes the two to eventually get up.

Suddenly, Ash's Oshawott learned Hydro Pump, much to the astonishment of everyone.

"That was great, Oshawott. Keep using those Hydro Pumps until that rare Onix shows up!" Haruhi motivated to Oshawott.

Oshawott was told to fire more Hydro Pumps, but the Onix avoided all of them.

"If we continue battling them, then this will never end," Ash said, "Meloetta, sing your heart out to them!"

Meloetta attempted to sing its song. A certain Pokemon was listening to the song on top of a cliffside.

However, the Onix weren't calmed down.

"Meloetta's song did nothing?" Cilan said in astonishment.

"Looks like you two have to continue battling no matter what!" Haruhi said.

All of a sudden, a roar was heard. As it turned out, it came from the top of a cliff. It was the rare Onix, a shiny Pokemon.

"So that's the rare Onix," Haruhi said. The shiny Pokemon eventually left off.

Haruhi suddenly gasped. "I forgot to capture it! There's no way we can achieve our goal of catching it. . . . . "

Cilan replied, "There's no need to capture that shiny Pokemon for the glory of the SOS Brigade. It's for the sake of the people who also wish to be seeing it for real."

"I guess you're right, Cilan. Now, we must go back to the villa to congratulate for seeing that shiny Onix!" Haruhi exclaimed.

Back in the villa, Kyon, Yuki, Brendan, Ryoko Asakura, and Itsuki were all watching television in the living room.

"That was rather depressing when that magical girl just got her head bitten off by that caterpillar-like creature," Kyon remarked.

"You're right. It is a deconstruction anime after all," Itsuki replied.

A knock on the door was heard. When Itsuki opened it, it was Haruhi and the others.

"We're back!" she said, "Hey, Kyon. I have some good news for all of you. We just discovered a rare Pokemon, a shiny Onix. Now that's what I call mysterious phenomena. Could you imagine how a rare Pokemon like that would be of a shiny color?"

"I thought she recruited Ash and his friends just to look for aliens, time travelers, and espers. It turns out, she was looking for a special Pokemon on which she thinks is also mysterious phenomena," Kyon thought to himself.

He asked, "How's the trip going?"

"That was exciting. Can you imagine how huge the Onix are? They resemble giant snakes that have rocks for their bodies!"

After dinner, the gang went to their respective rooms. Just before Kyon was about to enter the bedroom where Itsuki, Ash, Brendan, and Cilan slept, Ryoko prodded him.

"Kyon, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Something about Pokemon."

Outside, Ryoko and Kyon sat at a bench.

"You know, there are Pokemon out there that have mysterious powers, some of them at Miss Suzumiya's level."

"Well, I really don't know about the fact, that's all," Kyon replied.

"Besides, they might be the Pokemon that we can't see at all everyday, and if one is lucky enough to spot them, it is a rare opportunity," replied Ryoko.

"Ok, it's kinda late. I'm going back to bed."

Just as Kyon was about to leave, he was suddenly being floated up into the air. "What's going on?"

"My Reuniclus used a move called Telekinesis to levitate you high up. That's why I wanted to kill you by letting you fall down to your death and see how Miss Suzumiya reacts."

"I knew it that I would fall for that one again," Kyon thought, "This is not funny anymore, just let me go already!"

"You don't want to be falling to death? I'm sorry, I just wanted to see how organic life forms change."

"It is against the rules when you use your Pokemon just to kill me."

"Screw the rules, I have data," Ryoko replied.

"Ok, if only Miss Nagato was there to save me," Kyon thought.

"Prepare to die. Reuniclus, send Kyon falling down with Telekinesis."

Kyon is lifted up with Telekinesis and is sent crashing down. Just before he was about to die from falling, he is suddenly floating again, safely lifted to the ground.

"I wonder who did it," Kyon wondered, "Miss Nagato?"

It was Yuki Nagato, commanding an Alakazam to use Psychic on Kyon to lift him down to safety.

"You have flaws on your program," Yuki said to Ryoko, "If you lose this Pokemon battle, all of your data will be shut down."

"If I win, then I shall proceed to kill Kyon," Ryoko replied, much to Kyon's dismay.

"Stay behind me," Yuki said to Kyon as the latter stayed behind her. "Who's that Pokemon?" Kyon asked.

"Alakazam."

"And what's the name of Ryoko's Pokemon?"

"Reuniclus."

Ryoko made the first move. "Reuniclus, use Energy Ball."

"Alakazam, Light Screen."

Reuniclus fires its Energy Ball, but Alakazam's Light Screen suppressed it.

"Impressive move. Reuniclus, use Shadow Ball."

"Dodge it," Yuki instructed.

Alakazam dodged Shadow Ball. But Reuniclus fired its attack again, hitting the Psi Pokemon from midair.

"Nagato, it looks like you're going to lose this battle," Kyon said in a concerning way.

"Alakazam will be fine."

"But where in the world did you get that Pokemon?"

"We'll speak later."

"Your Alakazam has taken too much damage from Shadow Ball. Reuniclus, finish it with one more Shadow Ball," said Ryoko.

"Dodge and use Recover," Yuki responded.

Alakazam gets up and avoids Shadow Ball with agility, then healed itself with Recover.

"Alakazam, use Shadow Ball."

"Reuniclus, use your own Shadow Ball as well."

The two Pokemon fire their attacks. Alakazam avoided Reuniclus's Shadow Ball, while the latter gets hit by the former's own Shadow Ball, knocking itself out.

"You just lost the game. It is time to commence the termination of your data," Yuki said to Ryoko Asakura, who recalled her Reuniclus back to its Poke Ball.

"That can't be," gasped Ryoko, "Little did I realize that I was your backup, and I wanted to kill Kyon just to create an explosion of data that would be caused by Miss Suzumiya."

"You have once again defied my orders as a backup of me. That is why I re-requested to terminate your data link," Yuki replied.

Ryoko's body was slowly vanishing into thin air. "Kyon, how do you feel about being gained a life instead of being killed by me? Enjoy your life once more with Miss Suzumiya. . . . . . _Hikari ni nare. . . . . _" She then disappeared into light.

"Miss Nagato, it was a good thing you defeated Miss Asakura in a Pokemon battle. How do you know the moves that that Pokemon knows?" Kyon asked, referring to Alakazam.

"I downloaded all of the data for Alakazam's known moves."

"And where did you get it anyway?"

"From Brendan."

"Look, Miss Nagato. You can't borrow one of Brendan's Poke Balls without permission from him. It's like stealing," Kyon replied and sighed, "Is it fine for him that he would lend you one of his Pokemon on hand without asking?"

"Yes."

"And where's Miss Asakura heading for?"

"I have rewritten her data where she leaves to the Johto region."

"I hope I wouldn't want to see Miss Asakura ever when I ended up going to that place."

He thought to himself, "It was safe to say I witnessed an extraordinary event in the form of a single Pokemon battle, which proved that Pokemon and humans do share mysterious powers. Imagine, Miss Nagato and Alakazam both have psychic powers at work, and could you imagine too, Haruhi and a rare and powerful Pokemon both recreating the universe? I'd rather say it's just a hallucination."

"It's kinda late in the midnight. Let's go back to bed," said Kyon.

Yuki recalled Alakazam back to its Poke Ball and followed Kyon back inside the villa to return to their respective bedrooms.

**The next morning:**

Ash and Dawn were having a Pokemon battle as part of their training, while Meloetta, Itsuki, Yuki, and Mikuru watched outside the battlefield.

"Pignite, use Flamethrower!"

"Mamoswine, use Ice Shard."

Mamoswine's Ice Shard gets smashed into pieces by Flamethrower; fortunately, Mamoswine dodges Pignite's attack.

"Mamoswine, use Take Down!"

"Pignite, Flame Charge!"

Both Pokemon charge at each other, creating an explosion. They took damage at the same time.

"It's a draw!" Cilan announced.

"Pignite, do you wanna take a rest?" Ash called out to Pignite as it was eventually recalled back to its Poke Ball.

"Mamoswine, you did great," Dawn said as she recalled it back to its Poke Ball as well.

"Let's take a break," Cilan said. When he said those words, Jeremy appeared.

"Breakfast is ready," he said.

Meanwhile, on the boys's bedroom, Kyon was still asleep. When he rolled and fell to the ground, he noticed that Itsuki was not there.

"I wonder where Koizumi went. I should go check Haruhi out," Kyon said to himself.

When he went to the other bedroom, he noticed Haruhi was the only one sleeping there. He tries to wake her up.

"Hey, Haruhi. You might miss out on breakfast," Kyon said as he tries to wake her up. She eventually does, still in the same hyper state she usually was.

When the two headed for the dining room, they see Ash, Dawn, Mikuru, Yuki, Cilan, Itsuki, and Iris eating breakfast.

"Good morning!" Haruhi said with a cheerful voice.

"Good morning too, Haruhi and Kyon," Ash, Iris, Dawn, and Cilan all said in unison.

"I wonder where Brendan went," Kyon wondered.

"He probably went off early," replied Itsuki, "He'll be back though."

When they all chowed down for breakfast, Cynthia reappeared at the entrance door.

"Welcome back, Cynthia," Jeremy said in a formal tone.

"I'm back," said Cynthia, "How's everyone doing?"

Cilan replied, "We're fine. How are you?"

"I left yesterday to buy some clothes for the SOS Brigade."

"You do?," Haruhi said, "Why, thank you!"

The five members of the SOS Brigade try out the clothes that Cynthia bought.

_"Does_ this shirt make me look fat?" Kyon snarked, as he tried on a blue striped shirt with a Poke Ball symbol on it.

"No, Kyon. It looks good on you," Itsuki replied, fitting on a red polo shirt and a pair of blue trousers.

"I also have something for Ash and his friends."

Cynthia brought out cookies resembling an Axew, Pikachu, Pansage, and Piplup and distributed them to Iris, Ash, Cilan, and Dawn, respectively.

When the four had the cookies on hand, they all gave them a try.

"Ok, guys, I'll be leaving with Mikuru to check out on some more clothes!" Haruhi said as she left the main door, dragging Mikuru along.

"Hey, Cilan, should we tell Iris and the others about what Mikuru said?" Ash asked, "Haruhi already left."

"What is it?" Iris asked.

"About Haruhi herself," Ash replied.

Kyon asked, "Both of you already know about her subconscious powers?"

"Well, Mikuru just wanted to explain to both of us why all of you were here in the first place," Cilan said.

"Kyon, can you explain about Haruhi?" Ash asked.

"Talk to Koizumi and Miss Nagato. They already know more about Suzumiya."

"I really wanna know what you guys have been talking about!" Iris yelled.

On the dining table, Ash and his friends were lectured by Koizumi, who was sitting in front of them.

"Ok, Cilan and Ash, do you know anything about Suzumiya?" Itsuki asked.

"What we have learned from Mikuru is that Haruhi isn't an ordinary person," Cilan replied.

"Itsuki, do you have something to say in return?" Ash curiously wondered.

Kyon, who was standing beside Itsuki, whispered, "Tell them who you really are."

"I would like all four of you to know that I am an esper, but that's best that we all should refer to me for now," revealed Itsuki.

"So, you're an esper, right, Itsuki? I guess, it's science time!" Cilan does his 'evaluating time' routine yet again, much to Iris's embarrassment.

"This is not science time, you got it!" Iris yelled, causing Cilan to frown.

"So what do you espers do?" Iris asked.

"We espers are from the Organization, whose objective is to prevent Suzumiya's emotions from creating closed spaces."

"And what are closed spaces?"

"These are alternate dimensions that overlap reality. Inside a closed space, celestials are formed as a result of Suzumiya's frustration and anger," Itsuki replied.

"Right now, this reality is merged with ours, so it's a special case." he added.

"So you mean, we are trapped in closed spaces as well?" Dawn asked.

"Not really, but we all might be, since closed spaces are only limited to a specific area."

"That has to be the craziest information I have heard," Dawn replied.

Cilan asked, "Itsuki, when did you have those esper powers of yours?"

"It was a few years ago, when something mysterious happened. And that was when I had the powers I have now."

"It was the same thing Mikuru informed about us. A few years ago. Was it when the time quake that she mentioned just started?" Ash questioned Itsuki.

"Yes."

"Let me guess, Mikuru is a time traveler, then Itsuki is an esper," Cilan deduced, "Kyon, does your other friend know anything about Haruhi?"

"You mean, Miss Nagato? Yes, she also knows something about Suzumiya."

Just before Yuki can speak up, there was a knock at the door. When Kyon opened the door, it was Brendan, Haruhi and Mikuru.

"We're back! Can you guess what the SOS Brigade is going to do next? It's cosplay! Because I got some cosplay outfits that all of us are going to try," said Haruhi.

"Cosplay? Why in the world are we doing cosplay?" Kyon asked.

"We need to celebrate for meeting up with that special Onix yesterday. That's why I decided to set up a cosplay party. And of course, it's boring when we all stay here doing nothing, do you?"

"Oh, oh, alright. We'll do it. Set up a cosplay party." Kyon then sighed.

"I wonder why did Suzumiya and Miss Asahina return after only a few minutes of talk with Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan. Did a wizard do it? Or maybe it was Haruhi herself," Kyon thought to himself.

"So that's settled. Let's do this tomorrow," concluded Haruhi.

On the next chapter:

To fend off time before the Junior Cup tournament starts, Haruhi Suzumiya decides to do. . . . . . . cosplay! She decides to conduct a cosplay party as a celebration for recently encountering the shiny Onix with her new recruits, Ash and his friends. What else will happen? Find out on the next chapter of the Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References in this chapter:_

_Puella Magi Madoka Magica, __GaoGaiGar, __TV Tropes, __Yu-gi-oh the Abridged Series_


	6. Cosplay

___Author's Note: (I forgot to put the author's note tag at the start of the previous chapters, so bear with me.)_

___Most of the main cast cosplay as characters from anime that may not be familiar to some people, but it will be pointed out._

_P.S.: I would like to thank Fullsagashite4671 for making the first review. Keep those reviews coming, because after all, this is a cosplay chapter!_

* * *

_**Chapter 6**_

_**Cosplay**_

The next morning, the gang had another breakfast in the villa. Haruhi said, "Today, we'll officially start putting on dresses for tonight's cosplay party!"

Ash asked, "Haruhi, what is cosplay?"

Haruhi replied, "You simply have to dress up as other characters."

Dawn reminded Ash, "Do you remember that one time in Sinnoh when you were dressed up as a maid?"

"Yeah, that was the only uniform that the Miltank maid cafe had," Ash said, rubbing his neck.

"If you want to have a cosplay party, you must have to consider who's going to write all the invitation cards," Kyon suggested to Haruhi.

"How about you, Kyon? Besides, you made that idea," the latter replied, causing Kyon to facepalm.

Jeremy informed, "There are more cosplay clothes on the wardrobe, if all of you want to try."

Cilan suggested, "Let's check out the costumes you just bought as well, Haruhi."

"Then this means this will come to order!" Haruhi once again pulled out her red armband.

In the dressing room, Brendan, Ash, his friends, and the SOS Brigade members checked out on the costumes that Haruhi purchased. They also checked out the cosplay outfits on the room's wardrobe.

"I never knew that Cynthia's villa also had wardrobes full of cosplay outfits. It feels like paradise for cosplayers," Brendan remarked.

He asked Cilan, "Cilan, do you have an idea who are you going to cosplay as?"

The latter replied, "I know just the thing."

Cilan picked up a costume, and when he left the changing room, he was dressed as Light Yagami (from Death Note).

"Just as planned. This is the costume that I like," Cilan said.

Brendan commented, "Cilan, you look handsome. The only thing that's missing is a certain black notebook."

"Brendan, I don't think this is a good idea," Kyon replied.

"So, who's up next?" Haruhi said.

"That cosplay outfit of Cilan reminds me of those costumes in the Pokemon Musical I recently watched, that's why I want to give them a try," said Dawn.

When Dawn tried on a costume, she was in a Lillian Academy uniform (from Maria-sama ga Miteru).

"I wonder what Dawn was dressed like," Ash asked.

"Dawn's outfit is the uniform that the girls in Marimite are wearing," Brendan said.

"You've got to be kidding me," Kyon was shocked.

Iris suddenly approached Dawn and said, "Dawn, your scarf is crooked. You should keep your appearance neat. A certain Pokemon deity is watching over us."

When Iris fixed the scarf on Dawn's outfit, almost everyone sweatdropped.

"Was it me, or did Iris just recreate a well known scene from that show," Kyon deadpanned.

"It's my turn to pick a costume," Iris said. She picked a costume, went to the dressing room, and went back, dressed as Victorique de Blois (from Gosick).

"Iris, I don't think your hairstyle fits with that outfit of yours," Ash commented.

"How dare you!" Iris yelled.

"Mikuru, it's your turn," Haruhi said, "Come on, just pick a costume already!"

The moeblob nervously picked a costume and changed in the dressing room. When she returned, she cosplayed as Orihime Inoue (from Bleach).

When she did, Ievan Polkka was appropriately being played in the background.

"The only thing that's missing is a leek. That's right, a leek for twirling!" Haruhi commented, "Come on, Mikuru! You should twirl it like this!"

Haruhi forced Mikuru to twirl a leek that she just picked up from the kitchen, making Ash, Kyon, Itsuki, Cilan, Dawn, and Iris sweat drop.

"Here, Kyon take some pictures for me!"

Haruhi gave Kyon a camera and took pictures of Mikuru for her.

"I wonder why did Haruhi force Mikuru to spin a leek," Cilan wondered.

"Orihime Inoue spun a leek one time, and it was memetic," Brendan replied.

Itsuki remarked at Kyon, "Kyon, it seems that Brendan must be an otaku when it comes to cosplay."

"Well, you got that right, Koizumi," Kyon thought, "I wonder if he loves dressing up as other characters."

"Kyon, you're up next!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"Ok, then," Kyon thought, "I'm not expecting to wear a costume that's rather embarassing."

After picking a costume and dressing up, he returned from the dressing room cosplaying as Yuichi Aizawa (from Kanon). In all of a sudden, Jeremy showed up with a food cart loaded with a plate of taiyaki on a silver tray.

"Hey, Kyon. You are just in time for Jeremy's taiyaki treats. Wanna try?" Brendan asked and gave Kyon a piece. He suddenly said, "Hmmm, I think I have an idea."

He whispered to Kyon, making the latter reply, "What? Do I have to say that?"

"Yes, go ahead. Once you eat that taiyaki, you say those magic words," Brendan said.

When Kyon ate the taiyaki given to him by Brendan, he was nervous.

"Come on, Kyon. I want to know what Brendan was saying to you!" Haruhi yelled.

"Uh. . . . . uh. . . . . . ~uguu. . . . "

Almost everyone sweatdropped.

"Why did you let me cosplay as Yuichi Aizawa?" Kyon asked Brendan.

"You sound a lot like him. Besides, he also makes snarky and ironic comments as much as you do," the latter replied, "Well, do you like that outfit?"

Kyon sarcastically remarked, "I'd rather say it was less appealing."

"What do you guys think of us?" Ash said, as he and Itsuki appeared, dressed up as Max Taylor (from Dinosaur King) and Shizuo Heiwajima (from Durarara!), respectively.

"Itsuki looks handsome with those glasses. And that bartender vest makes him look like a Pokemon Conoisseur," Cilan said, "I do believe that that outfit of Ash's reminds me of those Poke Maniacs from Johto who dress up as their Pokemon."

"Hey, Iris, what do you think?" Ash said to Iris as he showed off with his cosplay outfit.

She replied, "You dress up like a little kid."

"Say what!" Ash yelled.

"Miss Nagato, do you wanna cosplay too?" Kyon asked. "Yes," she replied.

Brendan picked a certain outfit for Yuki. "Do you like it?" he asked.

Yuki only said a yes. She eventually left to the dressing room, and when she entered, she was dressed up as Rei Ayanami (from Neon Genesis Evangelion).

"Brendan, why'd you pick that outfit for her?" Kyon asked.

"I just couldn't help but compare Yuki with Ayanami Rei. It seems that Yuki looks like her without the silver hair," Brendan replied.

"I don't think Nagato would look good in a plugsuit," Kyon thought.

"It's my turn to change up," Brendan said. He picked up a costume, and when he returned, he was dressed as Edward Elric (from Fullmetal Alchemist).

"Haruhi, what are you dressed up as?" Brendan asked.

That was when she returned from the dressing room dressed as Faye Valentine (from Cowboy Bebop).

Kyon facepalmed, "Not the fanservice again."

Ash asked "Hey, Pikachu. Do you wanna cosplay?" Pikachu agreed by saying its name.

The Mouse Pokemon was eventually dressed as Tony Tony Chopper (from One Piece).

Because of that, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan were thinking of which one of their Pokemon should cosplay as, but couldn't.

Meloetta suddenly appeared in front of the group.

"Hey, Meloetta. Would you like to cosplay too?" Ash asked.

The Melody Pokemon agreed, and later, it was dressed up like Ranka Lee (from Macross Frontier).

Kyon asked, "Can we change clothes?"

Haruhi frowned. "Oh, well. Go ahead and change if you like."

Kyon was surprised, causing Kyon himself to facepalm. "I never knew how Haruhi can afford those outfits that she bought. It's a good thing that there were more outfits on the drawer. Perhaps can I try some more?"

Kyon continued to look for more cosplay outfits. A few minutes later, he went back, dressed up as Itachi Uchiha (from Naruto).

"Kyon, why did you change costumes?" Brendan asked, now dressed up as Yusei Fudo (from Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds).

"I was wondering if these outfits are any good."

"Kyon, out of all the outfits you wore, why did you dress up as Itachi when I'm supposed to cosplay as him!" Brendan exclaimed.

"Ash, do you have any idea what you're dressing up next?" Cilan asked, now cosplaying as Takuto Tsunashi (from Star Driver).

"Oh yeah, Cilan. I'm looking forward to look for more costumes," Ash replied.

In a few minutes later, he was dressed up as Jaden Yuki (from Yu-Gi-Oh GX).

"That was a nice outfit you got there," Itsuki commented on Ash's costume, now dressed up as Sven Cal Bayan (from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer).

"From that costume of yours, doesn't the word 'bayan' stand for 'country' or 'town' in Filipino?" Brendan informed Itsuki with a trivia.

Koizumi replied, "Yeah, even though that was coincidence, you just got that right."

"How did you know that?" Kyon asked curiously.

"Research."

Dawn suggested Iris, "Because the others were changing cosplay outfits, perhaps we should change up too!"

"Dawn, I'm not sure what character am I going to dress up next, though."

"No need to worry, Iris. I can help you out."

In a few minutes later, Dawn and Iris went back, dressed up as Winry Rockbell (also from Fullmetal Alchemist) and Belldandy (from Ah! My Goddess).

"Considering that Iris was dressed up as a shrine maiden one time, her outfit looks good on her," Cilan remarked.

"Same with Dawn," Haruhi remarked, now dressed up as Lucy Heartfilia (from Fairy Tail).

Haruhi asked Kyon, "Kyon, can you take pictures of me and Mikuru?"

Using the camera Haruhi gave to Kyon, the latter took pictures of the former and Mikuru, who was dressed as Kaede Fuyou (from Shuffle!).

"Miss Nagato, do you want to change costumes?" Kyon asked Yuki.

And that was when she came back from the dressing room, now dressed up as Rukia Kuchiki (also from Bleach).

"Does Yuki have any sisters who also like to cosplay?" Haruhi wondered.

"Okay, now that we all cosplayed, let's prepare for tonight's cosplay party!" she then exclaimed.

Haruhi thought and asked Jeremy, "Jeremy, is there a place where we can set up a stage for the cosplay party?"

"You can set up outside, if you wish," the butler replied.

Haruhi and Mikuru were doing the decorations, while Ash, Cilan, and Itsuki were setting up the stage on the Pokemon battlefield outside. Yuki was watching the boys do their work while reading a book at the same time.

Jeremy was preparing the buffet dinner, while Kyon and Brendan worked on the invitation cards in the living room.

Suddenly, Ash noticed the two as he entered.

"Are you two making invitation cards for the cosplay party?" Ash asked.

"Yes," Kyon replied.

"Can you invite Trip, Stephan, Bianca, and the others to come?"

"Sure, why not?"

Kyon asked, "Brendan, do you know those names that Ash just mentioned?"

"Just ask Ash."

Kyon asked curiously, "Ash, who's Trip, Bianca, and Stephan?"

"They are Pokemon trainers that I encountered here in Unova."

"Brendan, do you have a Pokemon that can send these invitation cards to those people?"

Outside, Ash and Brendan rode on the latter's Salamence and flew away to send the invitation cards.

"Take care of yourselves!" Kyon exclaimed.

"We will!" Ash replied.

**A few minutes later:**

"I wonder if Brendan and Ash are back," Kyon wondered.

Suddenly, a knock was heard at the entrance door. When Kyon opened it, it was the two.

"Did both of you send the invitation cards?"

"Yes, we did. In fact, Bianca and Stephan were interested in cosplay so much, they wanted to come," Ash replied.

The moment has finally arrived, and it was the night of the cosplay party. Jeremy was dressed up as Sebastian Michaelis (from Black Butler) attending to the table where the buffet dinner was set up.

Cynthia appeared, cosplaying as Medaka Kurokami (from Medaka Box).

Trip, Burgundy, Bianca, Georgia, and Stephan were all present on the occasion, cosplaying as characters from Kingdom Hearts, Negima, Slayers, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Dragon Ball.

Luke, who cosplayed as Tsunayoshi Sawada (from Katekyo Hitman Reborn!) was making a video with his video camera along with his Zorua. Using its Illusion ability, the Fox Pokemon transformed into Shirou Emiya (from Fate/stay night).

Haruhi was the emcee of the occasion, cosplaying as Misa Amane (also from Death Note).

"Okay, we will be holding a cosplay competition. The contestant from the two categories with the best cosplay wins a basket of melon breads. Jeremy, Cynthia, and yours truly, will be the judges," she said on the microphone.

"Isn't that a bias if Haruhi became the emcee and one of the judges at the same time?" Kyon thought, snarking in his usual fashion.

Ash was dressed as Ryou Bakura (from Yu-Gi-Oh!). Pikachu once again dressed up as Tony Tony Chopper.

Trip, dressed up as Sora, asked Stephan, who cosplayed as Goku, "Was that the kid from the boonies?"

Stephan replied, "That's the Ash that I really like. He's looking good with his Pikachu."

Kyon and Itsuki were cosplaying as Gintoki Sakata (from Gintama) and Lelouch Lamperouge in his "Zero" persona (from Code Geass), respectively, while Brendan dressed up as Nozomu Itoshiki (from Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei).

Cilan cosplayed as Setsuna Seiei (from Mobile Suit Gundam 00), as he fabulously strutted on the stage. Burgundy, who was dressed up as Konaka Konoe, was not impressed.

"I can't believe that that Cilan would just show off on stage like that!" she said, furiously.

On the other hand, Dawn and Iris strutted the stage dressed up as Paine (from Final Fantasy X-2) and Madoka Kaname (from Puella Magi Madoka Magica) respectively.

Georgia (who cosplayed as Asuka Langley Sohryu) sarcastically said, "Oh, please. Not that she would become a goddess or a future Dragon Master or something."

"But why remark about her outfit if you're looking at her like that?" Burgundy asked.

Mikuru nervously showed up on the stage, dressed up as Hinata Hyuga (from Naruto).

Yuki Nagato silently crashed the party by performing an intermission number, singing "Paradise Lost", at the same time, cosplaying as Kagura Tsuchimiya (from Ga-Rei Zero).

"Do you know the difference between Yuki and all the other lookalikes of her? She sings this song real good," Brendan commented at Kyon.

"I have the results for both the male and the female category," said Haruhi as she emerged to the front of the stage. When the drums stopped rolling, she announced, "The best female cosplayer of the night is Dawn!"

"On the other hand, the winner of the male category is. . . . . . . . . "

After a drum roll, she announced, "It's Kyon! Congratulations, you and Dawn each receive a basket of melon bread as the prize."

Ash, Pikachu, Cilan, Mikuru, Iris, Yuki, and Itsuki clapped their hands as they congratulated Dawn and Kyon for winning the contest.

Kyon thought to himself, "I had no idea why did I end up being the winner. Haruhi must be making a joke or something."

Kyon approached Haruhi and said, "Wasn't it a joke that I won the contest?"

"What are you talking about? You look handsome on that outfit of yours! Besides, it fit you so well, I decided to give to you the prize."

"Yeah, right. Your mileage may vary on that one," Kyon thought to himself.

So far, the cosplay party was a success. All the people who attended it had fun.

When everyone went to sleep that late in the night, Kyon went to the balcony, looking at the moon, when suddenly, Brendan appeared.

"You forgot your prize in the living room, Kyon. I just placed it in the bedroom where we slept," Brendan handed the basket over to him.

"Kyon, what's up? You have a problem?" he asked.

"Well, it's nothing."

"Are you having fun?" Brendan asked.

"Yeah. How about you?"

"Of course, I am, Kyon. I really started having a like for cosplay."

"Good for you."

"I guess I'll be heading back to get some shuteye. I'll be waiting for you." Brendan then left off.

Eventually, Kyon caught up.

In the next chapter:

When a blackout strikes in Undella Town, Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan all leave the villa to investigate. Meanwhile, the SOS Brigade plus Brendan continue looking for strange phenomena. However, everytime the six split up into two groups, Kyon and Brendan make an encounter with a wild Hydreigon. Will the latter capture this powerful Pokemon? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References: Too many to list here, if you include all the cosplay outfits._

_Most of the cosplay outfits worn by Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, and the SOS Brigade members double as actual references to their Japanese and English voice actors's other known roles from other anime and video game series. Can you spot them all?_


	7. Our Dragons are Different

_Author's note: I d__ecided to skip the 88th episode and replace it with the cosplay chapter, though the actual episode will be put up in a future time. _

_P.S.: This chapter is rather short. I could add more, but right now, I couldn't, so enjoy reading this chapter. It is slightly based on Best Wishes episode 89._

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

_**Our Dragons are Different**_

It was another morning in Cynthia's villa. Kyon woke up from bed, only to find out that he was the only one left sleeping in the room.

"I wonder if they all went to breakfast," he said.

When he rushed downstairs, he noticed Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Brendan, Itsuki, Yuki, Mikuru, and Haruhi eating breakfast.

"You're late, Kyon. . . . . . . " said the latter.

Kyon thought to himself, "I'm sure she'll give me the penalty again. . . "

". . . . . for breakfast," she added and then yelled," The next time you wake up late from bed, no breakfast for you, Kyon!"

Kyon made a sigh of relief, then followed to eat on the table.

"Alright, let's go and continue looking for mysterious phenomena!" Haruhi said.

"But Haruhi, we still need to train for the Junior Cup," Ash replied.

Iris added, "Besides, it's fast approaching."

"But I'm referring to Kyon, Mikuru, Itsuki, and Yuki! Besides, we already had fun looking for that rare Onix recently. The four of you are already dismissed." Haruhi was also referring to Dawn and Cilan.

Suddenly, all the lights went out. The coffee blender that Jeremy was using didn't seem to work.

This led to Haruhi wondering, "Was it caused by some highly improbable means?"

"It was just a blackout," Kyon replied.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. When Jeremy opened it, it was Officer Jenny.

When the group approached to her, she informed, "Is Cynthia around?"

Jeremy replied, "No, she left out earlier today to prepare for the Junior Cup tournament. What seems to be the problem?"

"A wild Dragonite arrived and attacked the power plant, destroying the facility."

"A Dragonite?" Iris was surprised.

Kyon wonders, "Is that a name of a Pokemon?"

"I'll show you," Dawn replied, pulling out her Pokedex. It said, "Dragonite, the Dragon Pokemon, and the evolved form of Dragonair. It is said to make its home in the sea. It is also known for rescuing shipwrecked people safely to shore."

"So it was a Dragonite who showed up at the power plant?" Jeremy asked.

Officer Jenny added, "Yes, the power outage happened because of Dragonite's rage. The Magnemite were trying to fend it off, but it didn't work."

Kyon asked, "By the way, what's your name, maam?"

"Oh, I almost forgot. If you want to know my name, I'm Officer Jenny. As a police officer, it is my duty to help out and investigate any crimes."

"I guessed this would mean investigation," Kyon said.

"I will be going now. I guess Cynthia is not around to help out," Officer Jenny said, as she did a salute and left on her motorcycle.

"Is that Dragonite well known?" Haruhi asked.

Jeremy replied, "Yes. It has been talked about just recently. It battles every powerful Pokemon it encounters."

"That Pokemon has a flavor that is not good to taste," Cilan remarked.

"Though only a few Pokemon were injured, it remains problematic."

Iris suddenly snapped out and said, "I don't think a Dragonite would be causing this!"

Kyon replied, "Yes, I agree. Even though that Pokemon would be the cause of the power outage, there's a possibility that this was not intentional."

"There has got to be a reason for this. I'm going!" Iris then fled off.

"But wait, Iris. . . . . " Cilan tried to stop her.

"I'm going too. What do you say, Pikachu?" Ash also went off.

"I also want to know what happened!" Dawn caught up.

"I guess we'll be leaving then," Cilan said to Jeremy and left.

"Be careful, and take care of yourselves," Jeremy said. Kyon asks Haruhi, "Shouldn't we be catching up after them?"

"Aren't we supposed to look for mysterious phenomena? Whether there's a power outage or not, the goal of the SOS Brigade is not to be delayed upon."

Kyon frowned. Brendan asks, "Can I help all of you out while Ash and his friends are away?"

"Sure, but I don't know if I can recruit you as another honorary member."

"Why don't you do it already? Besides, you have previously recruited Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan to be members of the brigade," Kyon asked, making Haruhi change her mind.

"Ok. Now that's settled, Brendan will officially be our guest member for the SOS Brigade! First off, let's look in the park."

"Take care of yourselves," Jeremy advised.

On the park, the SOS Brigade plus Brendan decided to split up into two teams using six toothpicks that Haruhi picked up in the villa, three of them with a red tip on it. Because Yuki, Brendan, and Kyon ended up picking the toothpicks with a red tip on it, they assigned themselves to search the east side, while Haruhi, Itsuki, and Mikuru went off on the west side.

"Make sure you and your best friend find any phenomena, Kyon," Haruhi taunted," We'll meet back at the park at noon."

Kyon, Brendan, and Yuki decided to check out the east side of the forest.

"So, Brendan, why are you interested in joining the SOS Brigade?" Kyon asked.

"Well, I wanted to know how you actually do as a group."

"You already know that the other three, namely, Miss Nagato, Miss Asahina, and Koizumi are the ones that Haruhi is looking for; aliens, time travelers, and espers, respectively," Kyon replied.

Suddenly, the three get surrounded by a wild Hydreigon. It eventually noticed them showing up.

Kyon wondered, "Who's that Pokemon?", referring to the wild Hydreigon.

Yuki replied, "It is called a Hydreigon. A Dark and Dragon-type Pokemon that is updated with the data of levitation due to the process of renewal of data structure called evolution."

"You mean, it's like as if that Pokemon applied Darwin's theories of evolution or something?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, think about it. When a Pokemon evolves, it becomes stronger," Brendan added, as he sent out Staraptor.

"Was that the Staraptor that Haruhi just borrowed earlier?"

"Yes, Kyon. That was obviously mine." Brendan then commanded, "Staraptor, use Close Combat."

Staraptor kicked its talons, but the Brutal Pokemon avoided it.

"Use Close Combat one more time!" The Predator Pokemon this time used its attack, hitting Hydreigon effectively.

"Alright, use Brave Bird!" The wild Hydreigon used Dragon Tail, hitting Staraptor before it landed its Brave Bird. The Predator Pokemon is then sent back to its Poke Ball, causing Luxray to be sent out.

"How can that Hydreigon immediately send Staraptor back to its Poke Ball like that and bring out another Pokemon?" Kyon wondered.

Yuki replied, "That Pokemon just used Dragon Tail." Brendan eventually recalled his Luxray.

"And what does it do?"

Brendan replied, "If it hits, Dragon Tail causes the opposing Pokemon to be switched out for another Pokemon."

Kyon asked, "That can't be good if you only have one Pokemon left, right?"

"Actually, it only works if you have other Pokemon on hand."

"Therefore, I conclude that it has put you to a challenge," Kyon replied.

"But that's the reason why I want to catch that Pokemon, Kyon. This Pokemon is very strong and powerful, and I can't wait to get one!"

The wild Hydreigon fled and disappeared from sight.

"What now? That Hydreigon just went away."

Brendan sent out his Staraptor again. "Staraptor, go and look for Hydreigon," he said.

"I guess you killed too much time just for this Pokemon battle. I hope Haruhi won't complain in front of me when we come back," Kyon said.

When the returned to the park that noon, Haruhi, Mikuru, and Itsuki were waiting at a bench.

"Well, don't tell me you and your best friend Brendan were just doing nothing," Haruhi said.

"We haven't found any phenomena. How about the three of you? Found anything?" Kyon asked, causing Haruhi to sigh.

The six decided to split up into two groups again. This time, they were inside a restaurant, eating lunch. Once more, they drew six toothpicks, three of them with a red tip on it. Haruhi, Yuki, and Itsuki all ended up not getting the red-tipped toothpicks, so they went for the east side. This time, Brendan, Mikuru, and Kyon were assigned for the west side of the park.

Haruhi was not amused.

"This isn't fun and games, Kyon! You may have paired up with Mikuru once again, but this isn't a date, I'm telling you!" she yelled.

**On the forest on the west side of the park:**

"So, Brendan, how does it feel to be a member of this brigade thing?" Mikuru asked.

"Well, it was nothing but fun. Just hanging out with all of you."

"Didn't you search the west side along with Haruhi and Itsuki?" Brendan asked Mikuru.

"But because I ended up picking the one with a red tip on it like you and Kyon, I ended up once again in the west side," Mikuru replied.

Staraptor suddenly showed up. "Staraptor, did you find Hydreigon?" Thanks to Staraptor's guidance, they eventually find the Brutal Pokemon taking a nap on a tree.

"I wonder why does that Pokemon move according to where we are," Kyon said.

"I don't know, Kyon. But it's good to know that I can battle it one more time," replied Brendan.

The wild Hydreigon eventually woke up, to find out that it was spotted by Staraptor flying in circles.

Brendan shouted, "Hydreigon, let's battle again. I'm going to get you this time."

"Staraptor, use Quick Attack."

The wild Hydreigon dodged Quick Attack. It fires a Tri Attack, but it also missed.

"Brendan, make sure your Staraptor avoids that Dragon Tail move!" Kyon shouted.

"Kyon, what is Dragon Tail?" Mikuru asked.

Kyon replied, "If the Pokemon gets hit by that move, it will automatically get switched out for another Pokemon. If you want to know more, don't ask me."

"Use Quick Attack again!"

Staraptor makes a flurry of Quick Attacks against the wild Hydreigon, hitting it for decent damage.

"Staraptor, use Close Combat!"

The Predator Pokemon launched its attack on the weakened Brutal Pokemon. But the latter suddenly got up and used Dragon Tail.

"Dodge it!" Dragon Tail was avoided, thanks to Brendan's quick thinking.

"Use Close Combat one more time!"

After a hit from Staraptor's Close Combat, it was eventually weakened.

"Go, Poke Ball!" Brendan threw the Poke Ball at the wild Hydreigon. After a few seconds, it broke free.

"Why does it go out of its Poke Ball like that?" Kyon asked.

"Sometimes, capturing a Pokemon is not easy. You might find yourself relying on luck just to do so."

He then shouted, "Staraptor, use Brave Bird!"

The wild Hydreigon charged at Staraptor with Dragon Rush.

Both attacks collide, however, the damage dealt from Close Combat has taken Hydreigon's toll, making it severely weakened.

On the other hand, Staraptor was hurt from the recoil caused by Brave Bird.

"Go Poke Ball!" Once again, Brendan threw the Poke Ball at Hydreigon. After a few shakes, it was finally captured.

"Alright, now that's what I'm talking about!" Brendan exclaimed.

"Can you teach me how to throw that red and white ball? Please?" Mikuru asked.

In the midst of the conversation, Kyon facepalmed. He said, "If Miss Asahina had a Pokemon on hand, it would make common sense."

That late afternoon, when the three went back to the park, they were noticed by Haruhi, Itsuki, and Yuki, waiting at a bench.

"Well, did you three find anything?"

"Nope."

"Kyon, spit it out. What did the three of you just do today? You know, with Brendan and Mikuru?" Haruhi asked.

Kyon replied, "Wait a second. Didn't you also look for any of those strange phenomena?"

Haruhi didn't say a word. "Looks like I'll have to check your behavior again when I have to."

When the six went back to the villa, Jeremy was standing outside the door.

"Jeremy, is the power back on?" Kyon asked Jeremy.

"Yes. It turns out, the Dragonite that attacked the power plant was revealed to be injured and the incident was unintentional."

"I wonder where's Ash and the others," Kyon asked.

"Should we check them out at the Pokemon Center?" Haruhi asked.

Brendan replied, "Sure, they must have done a little preparation there."

When they went to the Pokemon Center, they see Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan, about to leave the premises.

"Cilan, how's everything going? You know, the power outage?" Kyon asked.

"The power plant is back to normal," the Pokemon Connoisseur replied.

"And what about the Dragonite?"

"Actually, Iris caught it."

"Iris, how's your Dragonite?" Brendan asked Iris.

"Well, it's fully recovered from its injuries."

"I guess it's kinda late. We should rest up here for the night."

In the Pokemon Center, the ten prepared to rest in the two bedrooms that Nurse Joy reserved for them.

When Kyon left for the corridor, he noticed Haruhi and Brendan outside from the window pane. He saw Brendan handing over a Poke Ball to Haruhi.

"I wonder what's Brendan up to?" Kyon thought. He then returned to bed.

On the next chapter:

It is the moment that Haruhi Suzumiya has been waiting for, the Junior Cup. She and Kyon decide to participate, despite the fact that the two don't have any Pokemon on hand. On the preliminary round, Haruhi faces off against a certain someone also named Haruhi. Will she win? And what else will happen? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References:_

_None._


	8. Tournament Arc Part I

_Author's Note: From what the 'On the next chapter' segment says at the end of the previous chapter, this chapter obviously begins the crossover arc called the Tournament Arc._

_Expect the crossover stuff to be very heavy in this chapter, but the fact that this is a Pokemon/Haruhi crossover fic will never change._

_Though this is fanfiction, I do not own the characters of the several anime included here._

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Tournament Arc Part I - SOS Brigade VS The World**_

It was another morning in Undella Town. Freshly leaving the Pokemon Center, Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Brendan, and the SOS Brigade were heading for the building where the Junior Cup tournament takes place.

"Hey, Kyon. Remember that we'll participate in the Junior Cup together," said Haruhi.

Brendan informed Haruhi and Kyon, "I have a lot of Pokemon on hand today, so expect both of you to end up with a random Poke Ball at hand."

Ash excitingly said, "This is it, the Junior Cup tournament. Now that we have all trained, let's win this!"

"So am I!" Iris exclaimed.

"Me too," Dawn added.

Cilan said, "Same with me three!"

When Ash noticed Meloetta, he said to it, "Meloetta, would you like to watch with us?"

Suddenly, two trainers were running behind the gang, unintentionally bumping Ash and Meloetta, making the latter vanish from presence. One of the aforementioned trainers happens to be a certain flat-chested girl with long blue hair. She was in a hurry because her three best friends were waiting for her inside the building.

"Those trainers better need to watch where they're going," Ash replied.

"Meloetta just disappeared!" Iris pointed out.

"I wonder if it will be watching us battle," Ash replied.

Cilan assured, "Meloetta will eventually be. Besides, let's all hope for a victory this time around!"

As the gang walked off, they suddenly notice Alder talking with Cynthia.

"It's Alder!" Ash said.

"Who's Alder?" Kyon asked.

Dawn curiously thought, "Wasn't he currently the Champion of the Unova region?"

"Yes, you're right, Dawn," Cilan replied.

Just when Ash was about to greet Alder, Trip showed up. He didn't appear to have a good look on his face when he did.

"Just who are you again?" Alder asked and thought, referring to Trip.

"It's Trip."

"I think I know you, you must be Tristan, right?"

"I told you, it's Trip."

"Hey, Trip, we'll expect to battle again this time around," Ash said.

"Shut up."

"It's good to see you again, Alder," said Ash.

Alder responded, "Hey, who are those five people with you?"

"These five are the members of the SOS Brigade. They just ran into us, and so, they decided to join us too," Ash replied.

"May I know their names, please?" Alder asked Ash.

"What's your name, please?" the Champion of Unova asked Kyon.

Alder failed to hear Kyon mention his real name.

". . . . but people call me Kyon."

"It's nice to meet you, Kyonko-"

Kyon sweatdropped when Alder said that name.

"Actually, you just mentioned a girl's name," Kyon said.

"How about you? What's your name?" the Champion of Unova asked to Mikuru.

"I'm Mikuru Asahina," said the moeblob in a timid voice.

"So, your name is Mitsuuru, right?"

"Actually, her name is Mikuru," Kyon replied, "And Mitsuuru is a boy's name."

"The girl with the yellow-ribboned headband, what's your name?"

"I'm Haruhi Suzumiya."

"Haruki, right?"

"It's Haruhi," she replied, her sweat dropping as well.

"Ash, why does that guy keep calling us names?" Kyon asked grumpily as Alder continued to ask Itsuki and Yuki for their names.

Ash replied, laughing, "Well, Alder tends to call people by other names incorrectly."

"Alder, you have confused me in giving some piece of advice. I feel that I am losing interest in believing in you," Trip said and left off to the building.

"Ash, is that kid also a friend of yours?" Haruhi asked Ash, referring to Trip.

"I'll be off then," Cynthia said, as she left off to the premises.

"Wait, up! Don't leave just yet without me!" Alder said as he caught up to her.

"Well, what if it isn't Iris."

Georgia showed up behind Iris, saying those words.

"Well, what if it isn't Georgia too," Iris bragged, "I have grown stronger since the last time we met."

"You're just lying, because you're still no match against a Dragon Buster like me!"

Haruhi interrupted their conversation and asked, "Aren't both of you friends?"

"Well, of course we are!" said the two as they pretended to smile at Haruhi as she went back to Ash, Yuki, and Mikuru.

"Liar!" Georgia exclaimed.

Iris yelled back, "At least I would like you to know that you are a Dragon Buster who makes a lame excuse everytime you lose!"

"What are you, stupid? Because I'll prove to you that I am stronger than you are! Hmmph!" Georgia then left, leaving Iris gritting her teeth.

"When she just said the word 'liar', the only thing that's missing is a cleaver," Kyon muttered, referring to Georgia.

"Who was that girl?" Haruhi, Mikuru and Dawn asked in unison.

"That's Georgia. She and Iris are in a rivalry whenever they meet," Ash replied to the three.

"Ok then, let's go ahead." Just before Cilan could leave, he was interrupted by a certain Pokemon Connaisseuse.

"Not so fast, Cilan! Looks like we have met again, because I'm still going to be at the same level as you!" yelled Burgundy as she pointed her finger at Cilan.

"So, how's your status as a C-Class Pokemon Connaisseuse?" Cilan asked, smiling.

"I don't care if I haven't changed; I'm still planning to defeat you someday!"

Kyon interrupted and asked the two, "Are the two of you friends or something?"

"Well, yeah. She is also a Pokemon Connaisseuse, except that she is at a lower rank than mine," Cilan replied, making Burgundy grit her teeth.

Burgundy looked at Dawn and asked, "Were you and your Pokemon checked on by Cilan?"

"Well, yes. . . . "

"There's no way Cilan's evaluation would be this correct!" Burgundy exclaimed.

"Uh, what's wrong with you?" Dawn wondered.

Burgundy looked back at Cilan and said, "Cilan, weren't you lying or something? I'm still aiming to become a better Connaisseuse as much as you do!" She then set off.

"Looks like Burgundy hasn't changed a bit," Ash said.

On the building where the tournament was about to take place, all the participants, including, Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Brendan, Haruhi, and Kyon lined up on single file as they watched Alder and Freddy O'Martian make an announcement.

"And now we would like all of you to hear the words of wisdom from the Champion of the Unova region, Alder!"

Trip burst his anger as Alder made his speech.

"This is Alder speaking. To all the participants, I want to see all of you fight the good fight. May the best trainer win!"

Freddy O'Martian announced, "In order for our participants to get fired up, we will start an exhibition match between Cynthia, the Pokemon Champion of the Sinnoh region and Caitlin of the Unova Elite Four."

The lights dimmed out, and in all of a sudden, there was a spotlight, which gave way to Caitlin's entrance as she emerged out of a large flower that went down to the right side of the battlefield.

"It's nice to meet all of you," Caitlin remarked.

"Who is she?" Haruhi and Kyon wondered.

Brendan replied, "I think she's Caitlin of the Unova Elite Four. She was not used to battling before, but now, she has changed."

"To think that the Elite Four are four of the best trainers in a specific region, right?" Haruhi asked.

On the opposite side of the battlefield, Cynthia made her own entrance as she wore a cape and eventually removed it.

The referee announced, "The battle will end at the 10 minute mark. Let the battle begin!"

Brendan, Ash, Haruhi, Kyon, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, went to the sidelines to watch with Mikuru, Itsuki and Yuki. When Cynthia sent out her Garchomp, Kyon wondered, "Koizumi, who's that Pokemon?"

Itsuki replied, "It's called a Garchomp. It is said to be a powerful Dragon-type Pokemon with a thing for speed. No wonder Cynthia is called to be the Champion of the Sinnoh region because of it."

On the other hand, when Caitlin sent out her Pokemon, Kyon wondered, "I wonder what was that Pokemon she sent out."

"That's Gothitelle. It's basically a Psychic-type Pokemon," Brendan replied.

"Both Cynthia and Caitlin are sending out their premium brands," Cilan commented, "This battle would be made even more challenging."

"Gothitelle, use Flatter!"

Cynthia's Garchomp is confused by the effects of its Flatter, making Freddy O'Martian comment, "Looks like Garchomp is getting confused by that Flatter attack!"

Alder remarked, "It shows that Caitlin is starting to kick up the ante early in this match."

"Now, use Psychic!"

Garchomp is lifted up into the air and is sent down multiple times using Gothitelle's Psychic, making it inflict damage.

"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!"

Cynthia's Garchomp fought back and hit Gothitelle with its Dragon Rush.

"That was a powerful move," Kyon remarked.

"Garchomp, Draco Meteor!"

"Gothitelle, use Thunderbolt!"

Both Pokemon use their attacks to full power. But when they collided, it causes a stream of fireworks scattered all around.

"I'm impressed," Dawn said, "It feels like they were reenacting a contest appeal."

"No wonder that was impressive," Haruhi and Kyon remarked.

"Brick Break!" instructed both Cynthia and Caitlin to their Pokemon.

As Gothitelle and Garchomp clash their Brick Breaks with each other, time ran out.

The referee announced, "Time has ran out. This match is a draw!"

"I thank you for a good match, Caitlin," Cynthia said.

Caitlin replied, "You, too, Cynthia." The two then gave a handshake.

Freddy O'Martian announced, "And now, here are the first match-ups for the tournament."

The cards representing the participants on the screen were being shuffled.

"Burgundy vs. Tamaki!"

"You're not going to beat me and my fabulous Pokemon," Tamaki Suoh bragged.

"You act too much like Cilan," replied Burgundy.

"Haruhi Suzumiya vs. Haruhi Fujioka!"

"Well, what do you know, you're going to battle against another Haruhi," Kyon said to Haruhi.

"Dawn vs. Doremi!"

"Who's Doremi?" Dawn asked.

"That's me," said Doremi Harukaze.

"Ash vs. Konata!"

"Let's do our best," Ash said.

"Brendan vs. Yuri!"

Brendan wondered, "Why does she look like Haruhi?"

"Trip vs. Touma!"

"Such misfortune!" Touma Kamijou exclaimed.

"Kamina vs. Kyon!"

"Who's Kamina?" Kyon wondered as the latter approached the former, wearing his triangle shades.

Kamina replied, "Hey, hey, hey, hey! Just who the hell do you think I am?"

"Cilan vs. Luffy!"

Cilan said, "I wonder who's he."

"Were you referring to me and my pirate crew?" Monkey D. Luffy responded to Cilan's question.

"Hayate vs. Iris!"

"It's my honor to battle you for Miss Sanzenin," said Hayate Ayasaki. Nagi Sanzenin was cheering for Hayate on the sidelines.

"Onpu vs. Haruhi Kamisaka!"

"So there are three Haruhis competing in this tournament," Kyon concluded.

"Ladonia vs. Kino!"

"Aren't you a girl?" Ladonia asked to Kino.

"Georgia vs. Louise!"

"Best of luck!" Louise de la Valliere said.

Freddy O'Martien announced, "Now it's time for the first match of the tournament between Burgundy and Tamaki!"

All the fangirls on the sidelines screamed as Tamaki Suoh's name was mentioned.

The referee declared, "Let the battle begin!"

Burgundy sent out her Darmanitan. Before Tamaki sent out his Pokemon, he announced, "I dedicate this battle to all those who support me and Miss Fujioka."

Once again, all the female crowd goes hysterical.

"What a showoff. . . " Burgundy sneered.

"Go, Haxorus!" Tamaki sends out a Haxorus.

"_Alors, _it's tasting time, _s'il vous plait?"_ Burgundy said as she attempted to evaluate Tamaki's Haxorus.

Tamaki interrupted and said, "You and your Pokemon are just the showoffs. Haxorus, use Swords Dance."

Haxorus's claws suddenly grew white and extended to a longer width.

"Darmanitan, use Flamethrower!"

Tamaki calmly said, "Haxorus, dodge it." Flamethrower was successfully avoided.

"Use Swords Dance again." Haxorus's claws kept on growing very long.

"Use Fire Punch, Darmanitan!"

Burgundy's Darmanitan successfully hits Tamaki's Haxorus with its attack. Fortunately, the latter gets up.

Tamaki remarked, "Your Darmanitan did very well. Unfortunately, it has yet to know Haxorus's true power. Now, Haxorus, Swords Dance again!"

"Use Fire Punch once more, Darmanitan!" Burgundy shouted.

Tamaki calmly said, "Dodge that Fire Punch and use Outrage."

Haxorus easily avoided Fire Punch and hits Darmanitan with its attack, leaving it knocked out.

"No, this can't be!" Burgundy shouted.

"Darmanitan is unable to battle. Haxorus wins, and the victor goes to Tamaki!"

Freddy O'Martian remarked, "And Tamaki Suoh goes on to the next round!"

As a result of Tamaki's victory, all the female crowd once again went hysterical.

On the sidelines, Cilan remarked, "Haxorus's true offensive power means it's backed up with a good flavor and aroma."

"Darmanitan, return," Burgundy recalled her Pokemon and yelled, "No fair! Why do I always lose against someone who acts and looks fabulous along with his Pokemon?"

"Now that the first battle is history, we move on to the next battle, and this one happens to be very interesting, because this is between two people who share the same name, namely, Haruhi Suzumiya and Haruhi Fujioka!" O'Martian announced.

Just before Haruhi left for the battlefield, Brendan interrupted her and said, "Before you leave, take this Poke Ball. You already know who's the Pokemon that I am lending to you right now."

"And the two challengers of this round are now on the battlefield. On the left, it's Haruhi Suzumiya, while on the right, it's Haruhi Fujioka!"

The crowd went wild as the two challengers's names were announced.

Kyon deadpanned and said, "Please, I don't want to see any trouble if you lose, Haruhi, uh . . . . I mean, Suzumiya."

The referee announced, "Let the battle begin!"

"Magmortar, I choose you!"

Haruhi Fujioka sent out Magmortar.

"Electivire, you're up!"

When Haruhi sent out her borrowed Electivire, Kyon wondered, "Wasn't it the Pokemon that Haruhi just loaned from Brendan last night?"

* * *

_Brendan and Haruhi were outside the Pokemon Center that night. When the former sent out his Electivire, he informed Haruhi, "This is the Pokemon you'll be using for tomorrow's tournament. Its moves are Ice Punch, Thunderpunch, Psychic, and Protect."_

_He talked to the Thunderbolt Pokemon, "Electivire, you will be battling for Haruhi Suzumiya tomorrow. Make sure you obey her commands, because even though she knows a lot about Pokemon battling, she doesn't have any Pokemon. You got it?" _

_Electivire agreed, and so, Brendan recalled it back to its Poke Ball. The two then returned back to the Pokemon Center._

* * *

O'Martian remarked, "It's interesting to see two Haruhis battle with each other, and this match will see who among the two will advance to the next round."

Alder replied, "Yes, you're right. I want to see how the strategy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Electivire would fare well against the other Haruhi and her Magmortar."

"Magmortar, use Brick Break!"

"Electivire, Protect!"

Magmortar's attack easily gets blocked by Protect.

"Now that's more I like it, Electivire. Now use Thunderpunch!"

"Dodge it!"

Haruhi Fujioka's Magmortar avoids Electivire's Thunderpunch. "Now use Bulldoze!"

"But how?" Haruhi Suzumiya was surprised.

Kyon was stunned, saying, "I didn't know that Magmortar could use a Ground-type move like Bulldoze!"

Magmortar stomps on the ground, creating a small earthquake that caused Electivire to inflict damage.

"And Electivire gets hit by Bulldoze!" O'Martian yelled on the microphone.

Alder replied, "That was a super effective move Magmortar just used."

"Now, finish it off with Thunderbolt!"

Haruhi Fujioka's Magmortar successfully fires Thunderbolt at the weakened Electivire.

"I hope this won't be the end of the line," Kyon thought.

"Of course it isn't," Itsuki replied.

"But Electivire's going to take damage from that Thunderbolt!"

Brendan added, "Itsuki's right. Electivire will still make it."

**To be continued. . . . . **

* * *

On the next chapter:

The battle between the two Haruhis continue. Meanwhile, Kyon faces off against a certain hot-blooded man wearing a cape and a pair of triangle shades. Will he defeat him? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References:_

___The chapter subtitle is a reference to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World._

_Neon Genesis Evangelion (see the explanation below)_

___Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai_

_Higurashi no Naku Koro ni_

_Suzumiya Haruhi no Seitenkan (the fan work that genderbends the main characters of the Haruhi Suzumiya series)_

_Author's note #2:_

_There will be cameos of characters from these anime series in the Tournament Arc:_

_Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, __Lucky Star, __Ouran High School Host Club, __Angel Beats!, __To Aru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magical Index), __Ojamajo Doremi (Magical DoReMi), __Zero no Tsukaima (The Familiar of Zero), __One Piece, __Hayate the Combat Butler, __Happiness, __Hetalia: Axis Powers, __Kino's Journey (Kino no Tabi)_

_One of the anime listed below will actually play a major part of the plot of the Tournament Arc._

_Once again, I put on yet another Evangelion reference. In case people don't know the reference, Georgia's Japanese name is Rangure/Langley. It may sound coincidental, but she has the same personality and is possibly named after Asuka Langley Sohryu. That explains why Georgia utters Asuka's catchphrase, "What are you, stupid?" ("Anta baka?" if you want the original phrase)._


	9. Tournament Arc Part II

_Author's notes: It was already one month since this fanfic was first published, well, to be exact. And this chapter continues the crossover madness.  
_

_As mentioned earlier in the previous chapter, __I do not own the characters of the several anime included here._

___EDIT: I made an edit on the 'On the next chapter' part with some changes._

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Tournament**** Arc Part II - Both of You, Battle Like You Want to Win**_

The battle continued where it left off, with Haruhi Fujioka's Magmortar firing Thunderbolt at Haruhi Suzumiya's 'Electivire', weakened after getting hit by the former's Bulldoze attack.

Suddenly, Electivire spun its arms and started to speed up.

Kyon wondered, "What's Electivire doing?"

O'Martian remarked, "If you can guess it, folks, Haruhi Suzumiya's Electivire just activated its ability called Motor Drive, which increases its speed when it gets hit by an Electric-type move. A remarkable one at that!"

Haruhi Fujioka was surprised. "Magmortar's Thunderbolt didn't do a thing?"

"Electivire, use Thunderpunch!"

"Magmortar, Electivire is now faster. Block Electivire's attack!"

Magmortar blocked Thunderpunch. Because Electivire made contact with Magmortar itself with its attack, it triggered Flame Body, causing it to inflict a burn.

"Now what? Even though Electivire is speeding up with Motor Drive, it's taking burn damage!" Dawn said.

"It looks like Haruhi Fujioka has a luck of her own. Her Magmortar has the Flame Body ability, causing any Pokemon making physical contact with it to inflict a burn!" O'Martian announced.

"That means, Haruhi Suzumiya's Electivire has to think of a way to beat the other Haruhi's Magmortar before it will tire out due to burn damage," Alder remarked.

"I don't care if Electivire gets a burn. Finish it off with Psychic!"

"Magmortar, use Fire Blast!"

Electivire's Psychic controls Fire Blast and sends it back to Magmortar, knocking the Fire-type Pokemon out.

"No! Magmortar!" Haruhi Fujioka yelled.

"Magmortar is unable to battle. Electivire wins. The victor goes to Haruhi Suzumiya!"

"Magmortar, return." Fujioka recalled Magmortar back to its Poke Ball and shook hands with the other Haruhi.

"I thank you for a good battle. Even though I'm a brilliant person, you managed to outsmart me," Fujioka said.

"Well, it was nothing," said Suzumiya, smiling.

Kyon made a sigh of relief, thinking, "It's a good thing Suzumiya beat the other Haruhi."

"You have to thank her for advancing to the next round, Kyon," Itsuki said.

"And so, Haruhi Suzumiya is the Haruhi that will move on to the next round," O'Martian announced.

Alder remarked, "It was a spectacular battle between two people who share the same name."

On the next battle, Dawn's Mamoswine pitted up against Doremi Harukaze's Musharna.

"Mamoswine, use Ice Shard!"

Musharna gets knocked out after one hit.

"This can't be!" Doremi exclaimed. As a result of Dawn's victory, she moved on to the next round.

On the match between Ash and Konata Izumi, Meloetta showed its presence, watching whilst sitting on top of a beam without being seen.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

Konata's Liepard was quickly defeated.

"And Ash moves on to the next round!" O'Martian said.

Alder announced, "We're going to take a break before we start the next match."

"Let's go and look for a place to eat," Haruhi said, "Oh man, I'm bored."

"I've found just the thing. There's a nearby restaurant where all five of you can eat for lunch," Cilan replied.

The five, including Cilan, left the sidelines.

"Wait for us!" Ash, Dawn, and Iris caught up with Cilan, leaving Brendan to prepare for the next match.

**In the restaurant, a few minutes after:**

"The food tastes good, Cilan!" Mikuru complimented as she took a bite of a piece of pizza that she grabbed from the plate.

"Besides, this place is one of the branches of the restaurant me and my brothers set up."

"Who are your brothers?" Haruhi asked.

"Chili and Cress," Cilan replied, showing a picture of the trio to the SOS Brigade.

"I wonder why did that red-haired guy's hairstyle look like as if he went all out Super Saiyan," Kyon thought, referring to Chili.

Suddenly, Brendan rushed to open the entrance door and approached to the nine.

He huffed and said, "I can't believe what just happened today!"

Kyon replied, "Calm down and relax."

"Relax? I don't think I'm ever gonna relax today, Kyon. My opponent, that girl who looks like Haruhi Suzumiya, is one incredible trainer," Brendan replied, "She curb-stomped me using her Shedinja!"

"What's so special about that Pokemon, Brendan?" Kyon wondered.

"Shedinja is a Pokemon with a specialty. It's invincible thanks to its Wonder Guard ability!"

"A Shedinja, right?" Dawn scanned his Pokedex, and it said, "Shedinja, the Shed Pokemon, and the evolved form of Nincada. Its body resembles a discarded bug shell. It is said to steal the spirit of one who peeks at the hollow body on its back."

"As you can see, Wonder Guard is Shedinja's ability. The only way to touch it is to hit it with a super-effective move," Brendan replied.

Kyon asked, "So she has a Shedinja?"

"Yes, and I had no idea that she would use that kind of Pokemon in the Junior Cup!" Brendan replied.

He added, "Oh, by the way, Kyon, looks like your match with Kamina is up next. And here's the Pokemon I'm going to lend to you for today." Brendan gives Kyon a Poke Ball.

"What's the Pokemon inside?" Kyon asked as he unintentionally sent out Brendan's Eelektross.

Brendan said, "It's called an Eelektross. Its moves are Grass Knot, Substitute, Thunderbolt, and Hyper Beam."

When the ten went back to the stadium, it was Trip and Touma Kamijou on the battlefield.

"Conkeldurr, use Stone Edge!"

"Unfezant, dodge it!"

Touma's Unfezant dodged Trip's Conkeldurr's Stone Edge with ease.

"Now use Stone Edge one more time!"

Stone Edge hits Unfezant, effectively knocking it out.

"Such misfortune!" Touma exclaimed.

"Unfezant is unable to battle. Conkeldurr wins, and the victor goes to Trip," the referee declared.

"And so, Trip goes on to the next round," O'Martian announced.

"Looks like you're up next, Kyon," Haruhi yelled, "Win this battle seriously or I'll kill ya!"

Kyon deadpanned as he left out to the battlefield.

"For the next match, it's Kyon versus Kamina!" O'Martian announced.

Kamina showed up on the battlefield sporting a cape.

"The reputation of Team Gurren depends on this match, and if they're talking about their manly, tenacious, and well-spirited leader, it is me, the mighty Kamina!" said Kamina as he pulled out his signature triangle-shaped sunglasses.

Simon, Rossiu Adai, and Viral were cheering for Kamina on the sidelines.

"I hope Bro's gonna win this match for the name of Team Gurren," Simon said.

The referee announced, "Begin!"

"Krookodile, for the glory of Team Gurren!" Kamina sent out Krookodile.

"Come out, Eelektross!" Kyon sends out his borrowed 'Eelektross'.

"Krookodile, use Rock Tomb!"

Kamina's Krookodile created a boulder that broke down into multiple boulders and lifted it.

"Eelektross, use Thunderbolt."

Eelektross's Thunderbolt smashes all the boulders into smithereens. But it obviously had no effect on Krookodile.

Haruhi yelled, "Kyon, Thunderbolt does not do anything against a Ground-type like Krookodile!"

When Kyon heard those words, a flashback came to his mind:

* * *

_Ash replied, "Yes, Kyon. Every move is classified according to its type. For example, Thunderbolt and Electro Ball are Electric-type moves, while Iron Tail is a Steel-type move."_

_"So that means I have to select moves at random?"_

_"No, because sometimes, they may do little to no damage at all against a Pokemon of a specific type. For example, Electric-type moves like Thunderbolt do nothing against a Ground-type Pokemon."_

* * *

"That was impressive. But you have yet to know the mighty Krookodile's power. Use Brick Break!"

"Dodge it and use Hyper Beam!"

Kyon's 'Eelektross' avoided Brick Break, and fired Hyper Beam, hitting Krookodile and knocking it away.

Kamina shouted, "Krookodile, you must get up! Believe in the Kamina who believes in you!" Krookodile managed to get up.

O'Martian remarked, "With those words of wisdom by Kamina, Krookodile gets up!"

"Curse you, Kyon! Eelektross can't attack on the next turn if Hyper Beam hits!" Haruhi yelled.

"Krookodile, use Dig!"

Krookodile burrowed down on the ground, leaving Kyon confused.

"What's your Pokemon doing down under the ground?" he wondered.

"Dig is a two-turn move. Watch and wait for Krookodile to come out on the next turn," replied Kamina.

A few seconds later, Krookodile emerged on the spot where Eelektross was.

Unfortunately, Dig was avoided as Eelektross floated high up in the air.

"Looks like Eelektross just displayed its main ability, Levitate!" O'Martian yelled on a microphone.

Alder commented, "Levitate will help it compensate for its weakness to Ground-type moves."

Kyon wondered, "So that explains why Eelektross was floating without even touching the ground."

Kamina's reaction was, "Abilities won't matter with this move. Use Dragon Claw!"

"Say goodnight! Eelektross, use Grass Knot!"

Krookodile charges its attack at Eelektross. But it suddenly tripped over two blades of grass tied to each other, knocking itself out in the process.

Kamina shouted, "Hey, hey, hey, hey! When did Eelektross just beat a Ground-type like that? Just who the hell do you think you are?"

"Krookodile is unable to battle. Eelektross wins, and the victor goes to Kyon," the referee announced.

"And so, Kyon is the seventh contestant to enter the next round!" O'Martian announced.

"Even though Bro lost, it doesn't mean we're going to give up though," Simon remarked. Viral and Rossiu frowned in disappointment.

"We never retreat, we never surrender. Even though I lost, it doesn't mean I will lose hope, "said Kamina as he shook Kyon's hand and left.

When Kyon went back to the sidelines, Haruhi applauded him.

"It's a good thing you didn't lose to that hot-blooded guy," said she.

"It's good to know that you managed to make Miss Suzumiya happy," Itsuki said.

Kyon deadpanned and replied, "You've got to be kidding me. Are there any incidents of celestials so far?"

"None so far."

"And now, the match up for the eighth battle is Cilan vs. Luffy!"

Cilan's Pansage fires a Solarbeam, knocking out Luffy's Simipour.

"And it's Cilan! He will be the eighth participant to move on to the next round."

The next battle was Iris against Hayate Ayasaki.

"Excadrill, use Dig!"

Excadrill digs down and eventually emerges on Hayate's Mienshao, effectively defeating it.

"Iris is now the ninth to enter the semifinals!" O'Martian announced.

The next battle was between Onpu Segawa and Haruhi Kamisaka.

Haruhi Kamisaka's Alomomola successfully hits Onpu's Gothitelle with Aqua Jet.

"And it's Haruhi Kamisaka! She is the second Haruhi to enter the next round!" O'Martian announced.

In the eleventh round, it was between Ladonia and Kino.

"Samurott, use Razor Shell!"

With one hit, Ladonia's Samurott managed to knock out Kino's Braviary.

O'Martian remarked, "It's Ladonia who becomes the eleventh to enter the second round!"

The last battle of the preliminary round was between Georgia versus Louise de la Valliere.

"Beartic, use Icicle Crash!"

"Drifblim, dodge it!"

Drifblim avoids Icicle Crash.

"Use Ice Beam!"

Drifblim gets frozen by Ice Beam and gets knocked out.

"How's that, Iris?" Georgia bragged.

"Shut up!" Iris yelled.

"Looks like Georgia is the winner! And now, on the screen are the 12 participants who will move on to the next round!" O'Martian announced.

On the screen were cards featuring Tamaki Suoh, Dawn, Ash, Iris, Trip, Cilan, Kyon, Haruhi Suzumiya, Haruhi Kamisaka, Yuri Nakamura, Ladonia, and Georgia.

Meloetta was still watching on top of a beam.

Alder replied, "The next round will take place tomorrow. I suggest all the Pokemon trainers moving on to the next round to take a rest at the Pokemon Center. You're all dismissed."

When Trip looked at Alder, he was bursting with anger.

At the Pokemon Center that night, Haruhi, Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Brendan, Kyon, Mikuru, Itsuki, and Yuki were on the table just in time for dinner.

"It tastes real good!" Mikuru and Ash said as they both started chowing down on the food.

"Thank you, Mikuru and Ash. The flavor of the food is very powerful, as they come from the freshest ingredients available," Cilan replied.

Suddenly, Konata Izumi, Tsukasa and Kagami Hiiragi, and Miyuki Takara showed up and wanted to eat too.

"Hey, it's Haruhi Suzumiya!" Konata exclaimed when she noticed her, "Can I have your signature?"

"Well, thank you," said Haruhi as she wrote her signature on a piece of paper that Konata brought out.

"Wasn't that Mikuru Asahina?" Konata turned her head to Mikuru and said, "Hey, do you play that cool game called Legend of the Five Rings? Because it so happens that Asahina is also one of the names of families of the Crane Clan."

"Well, I didn't know that," Mikuru sweatdropped.

"What makes your visit here, Konata?" Brendan asked.

"We're kinda hungry, so we decided to come here to eat and share seats with all of you," Konata replied.

"Go ahead and eat. Besides, it's the perfect chow for Junior Cup competitors, even though you got eliminated by Ash," Cilan said.

When Miyuki finished eating, she remarked, "I think you're right. It is the perfect food to serve to Junior Cup competitors."

"Hey, Konata, even though you lost to me, let's have a chowdown showdown!" Ash exclaimed.

"You're on, Ash. You can't beat me this time!" Konata exclaimed.

When the two started chowing down on more food, Iris remarked, "Only little kids like to set up food-eating Junior Cup battles."

"Maybe you're right, Iris. It seems Ash is getting fired up for tomorrow's big battle," Kyon replied.

"Don't forget me!" Haruhi Suzumiya exclaimed, as she decided to join the chowdown with Ash and Konata.

Kyon facepalmed and muttered, "I'd rather not want to see Haruhi act like a little kid as well."

"I'm gonna win over the two of you!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"No, I'm gonna win!" Ash replied.

Konata responded to the two, "Both of you are going to lose to me in food-eating contests like this!"

When Iris noticed Ash, Haruhi, and Konata continuing to outdo with each other by piling up their plates, she once again remarked, "Ash is such a hungry kid."

"You know, this is kinda embarrassing when Konata chows down on a lot of food for no reason," Kagami remarked.

Tsukasa replied, "You're right, big sis. It feels like as if she wasn't able to eat for a while."

"Kagami, didn't you eat anything?" Brendan asked, "Because I was wondering if you're trying to lose weight."

"W-w-well, it was. . . . it was . . . . . . "

Tsukasa replied for Kagami, "She was just trying to lose weight when she suddenly gained some of it."

"Kagami, it was probably because you chowed down on Pocky again, didn't you?" Konata asked slyly, causing Kagami to sweatdrop.

"No, it wasn't!" Kagami yelled.

A few minutes later, Ash, his Pikachu, and Haruhi crashed in two separate beds in the same room with full stomachs.

"Looks like I'm psyched for tomorrow's battle," Ash said as he slept.

"Me too, Ash. I'm also getting a lot of winning vibes," Haruhi replied as she slept in another bed.

"Can we go out and look for something to drink?" Brendan and Kyon asked Cilan.

"Sure, you two can go ahead. We will wait for both of you."

When Kyon and Brendan walked off into the corridor, they were both noticed by a certain girl who resembled Haruhi, making an evil laugh.

"I know you. You were the trainer who defeated me this morning!" Brendan said.

Kyon asked, "Who are you? And why do you look like Haruhi Suzumiya?"

The girl replied, "All your questions will be answered in due course. In the meantime, prepare to be assimilated! Resistance is futile. Do not attempt to mess with the SSS, for I'm the leader who controls the horizontal and the-"

Kyon interrupted and asked, "Hey, are you paraphrasing quotes from movies and TV shows, or are you actually trying to do something?"

"Your mother!" the girl yelled. She turned her back and walked away.

"I wonder what's she up to," Kyon wondered.

Brendan replied, "Whatever. Let's go and buy something to drink. I feel like rubbing my wealth in a certain someone's face!"

"Too bad you're not wealthy like Seto Kaiba."

"Well, if I were him, I'd be doing that in front of her for such an unfair battle!" The two then walked off to the cafeteria, only to find out that it was closed.

"The store's closed," Kyon deadpanned.

"I'm actually not thirsty," Brendan replied, "Let's go back to sleep. It seems your best friend Haruhi and the others have slept early."

The two then went back to the room to go to sleep.

On the next morning, Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Brendan, and the five members of the SOS Brigade left the Pokemon Center, sprinting to the stadium.

"I'm here to win and be psyched!" Ash exclaimed.

"Sounds like you and Haruhi are getting pumped up," Iris said.

Suddenly Georgia interrupted the conversation.

"What are you, stupid? Only a true Dragon Master can beat a Dragon Buster like me!"

"Oh yeah?" Iris yelled.

"Oh yeah!" Georgia responded as the two eventually made a lightning glare.

"You're going to lose when you find out that my Pokemon have become stronger!" Iris yelled as Georgia left off.

On the stadium, Freddy O'Martian and Alder made an announcement.

"And now, this is round 2 of the Junior Cup tournament! So look out on the screen for today's matchups."

The screen showed Iris vs. Georgia, Kyon vs. Tamaki, Trip vs. Cilan, Haruhi Suzumiya vs. Haruhi Kamisaka, Ash vs. Ladonia, and Yuri vs. Dawn.

"At last, we finally get to battle again!" Georgia exclaimed to Iris.

"You're gonna lose this time!" Iris replied.

"Oh yeah?" Georgia yelled.

"Oh yeah!"

When Alder made an announcement on the TV screen, this caught Trip's attention. He was not in a good mood looking at him.

**To be continued. . . . . . **

* * *

On the next chapter:

The second round battles of the Junior Cup are heating up. Meanwhile, Brendan, Yuki, and Kyon meet a certain girl named "Tenshi", who reveals the intentions of a certain girl who resembled Haruhi Suzumiya. What else will happen? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References: _

_There are two references to Neon Genesis Evangelion, which includes the subtitle of this chapter (How many times did this fanfic ever make such NGE references?)._

_Dragon Ball  
_

_Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series (see explanation below)_

_Author's note #2:_

_One of the major cameos for this chapter are the four main characters of Lucky Star, as well as Kamina and most of the members of Team Gurren from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Given that the two series were both referenced in the earlier chapters, this fanfic would be more like a mega anime crossover.  
_

_The part where Brendan and Kyon encounter Yuri Nakamura (you guessed it if you're reading this) is a reference to a scene in episode 47 of Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series when Noah Kaiba shows up on a viewscreen and introduces himself to the main characters by paraphrasing quotes from movies and TV shows, in which Seto Kaiba points it out._


	10. Tournament Arc Part III

_Author's note: From what it says on the 'On the next chapter' segment part of the previous chapter, anyone who guesses correctly that 'Tenshi' is that certain character from Angel Beats will get a cookie. That's right, check out the second author's note at the end of the chapter for more details._

* * *

_**Chapter 10**_

_**Tournament Arc Part III - V for Vendetta**_

"And now, for the first match of the second round, it's between Iris, who wants to become a Dragon Master and Georgia, the Dragon Buster!"

The referee declared, "Alright, battle begin!"

Georgia taunted, "This is the battle I've been waiting for. I hope you're going to pick a Dragon-type Pokemon, Iris."

"In that case, you're right. Go, Dragonite!" Iris sent out her recently caught Dragonite.

Georgia responded, "Looks like Axew isn't her only Dragon-type Pokemon anymore. But I'm gonna win. Go, Beartic!"

The Dragon Buster sent out her Beartic.

Cilan remarked, "It appears Iris is at bad taste. Dragon-types like Dragonite are weak to Ice-type moves."

"Why is that?" Kyon replied.

Yuki replied, "Dragonite is a Dragon and Flying type Pokemon life form. A form of data known as Ice-type moves will increase damage up to 100% on this Pokemon."

"That can't be right, Miss Nagato."

"Yuki's right, Kyon. There are Pokemon that are extremely weak to a specific type of move, therefore knocking them out in one hit," Brendan replied.

Cilan added, "However, it depends on how Dragonite and Beartic fight. There is an outcome that Dragonite will turn the tables no matter how type-disadvantageous it is."

"I'll make the first move. Beartic, use Hidden Power!"

Beartic launches its attack on Dragonite.

"Dodge it!"

The Dragon Pokemon refused to dodge. Instead, it deflected the Hidden Power with its hands.

O'Martian announced, "Instead of dodging, Dragonite countered the Hidden Power with its hands!"

"It indicates that this Pokemon of Iris's is very strong," Alder commented.

"I wonder why that Dragonite isn't listening to Iris's command," Kyon curiously said.

Ash yelled, "Dragonite, you must dodge it!"

"Enough talk! Beartic, Focus Blast!"

Iris angrily yelled, "You have to dodge it this time!"

Once again, Dragonite disobeyed Iris and simply blocked Beartic's Focus Blast with both palms.

"It seems Dragonite is disobeying its trainer. What is that all about?" Kyon asked.

Haruhi replied, "Sometimes it's not easy to raise a Pokemon. In fact there are times when a Pokemon would stray from listening to orders by its trainer."

"It's not the first time when a Pokemon has not obeyed Iris," Cilan added and thought.

"I have had enough of games! Beartic, Ice Beam!"

"You have to dodge it this time, Dragonite!"

Dragonite refused to dodge for the third time, and as a result, it partially coated itself in Beartic's Ice Beam. Iris was shocked.

"Could this be the end?"

"This can be bad if Dragonite gets hit by that Ice Beam, right?" Mikuru asked Cilan.

The latter replied, "You're right. It is of a bad flavor in Dragonite's part."

O'Martian remarked, "It seems Dragonite is not obeying Iris's orders."

"On the other hand, it appears to be of full potential," Alder responded.

"Does this Dragonite have a problem or what?" Ash asked angrily.

Suddenly, Brendan noticed Yuki leaving the sidelines. He wondered, "I wonder what Yuki was up to." He then followed up to her.

Kyon eventually noticed that Yuki was missing. He asked Ash, "Have you seen Miss Nagato?"

"I don't know. Brendan caught up to her to check her out."

"Can I catch up after Miss Nagato?" asked Kyon.

Haruhi yelled, "Kyon, you're supposed to prepare for the next match!"

"Use Ice Beam one more time!"

"Use Flamethrower!"

With one more command from Georgia, Beartic freezes Dragonite with its Ice Beam.

Iris muttered, "Dragonite. . . "

When Yuki went outside the stadium, she noticed a girl standing in front of her. It was none other than Kanade "Tenshi" Tachibana.

Brendan followed up to Yuki. And when he noticed Tenshi standing in front of them, he asked, "Who are you?"

Kanade never said a word.

"You were actually here just to sense that silver-haired girl's presence?" Brendan asked Yuki.

"Yes."

"Don't tell me she would resemble you, Yuki?" Brendan asked her.

"No. The Data Integration Thought Entity never recognized her," Yuki replied.

Kanade introduced herself, saying, "I am Kanade Tachibana. People call me Tenshi even though I don't resemble an angel most of the time."

"What makes you want to show up here?" Brendan asked.

"I am here for Yuri Nakamura. I want to inform her something about Haruhi Suzumiya."

In all of a sudden, Kyon showed up, capturing Brendan's attention.

"What is it?" he then asked to Kanade.

"Kyon, aren't you supposed to be battling next in the tournament?" Brendan asked.

"Iris and Georgia are still battling."

"Ok, now back to the topic. What are you going to say to Yuri about Suzumiya?" Brendan asked.

"That Haruhi is not actually the God that she has been looking for in all of her life."

"So that's the reason why she wants to defeat Haruhi? She thinks that Haruhi is the one true God?" Kyon asked.

Kanade replied, "I tried to inform her once, but she refused and tried to attack me."

Kyon replied and deadpanned, "It becomes more of a mental illusion when that girl thinks that Haruhi is a deity."

"We'll help you out," said Brendan, "Once again, I feel like rubbing my Poke Balls in Yuri Nakamura's face!"

"One more thing," Kyon wondered and asked Kanade, "Who are you?"

"Once again, I'm Kanade Tachibana."

Meanwhile, back in the Junior Cup tournament, Iris's Dragonite is seen charging at Georgia's Beartic with Thunderpunch, hitting it for an effective knockout.

"Beartic is unable to battle. Dragonite wins, and the victor is Iris!" the referee declared.

"And despite Dragonite disobeying her, Iris moves on to the quarterfinals!" O'Martian announced.

"Beartic, return." After recalling Beartic back to its Poke Ball, Georgia exclaimed at Iris, "Technically, I didn't lose to you. I lost to your Dragonite! If you were to become a true Dragon Master, Dragonite would have listened to you!"

"Dragonite, that was a risky move you just did," Iris reprimanded the Dragon Pokemon as it tilted away its face from her.

Outside the stadium, a voice was heard. "Coming up next. The match between Kyon and Tamaki Suoh!"

"Kanade, do you want to watch?" Kyon asked.

Kanade replied, "Yes."

Brendan, Kanade, and Kyon then went back to the stadium as the next match was about to commence.

"Same Pokemon, same moves," Brendan replied to Kyon as he handed over to him the Poke Ball.

"Hasn't it even recovered from its injuries from the last battle?"

Brendan replied, "I sent Eelektross to Nurse Joy last night in the Pokemon Center. And it's now in full health."

When Kyon and Tamaki Suoh went out to the field, O'Martian announced, "And now, the match between Kyon and Tamaki Suoh is now going to commence!"

"Win this for the SOS Brigade!" Haruhi cheered as Kanade watched Kyon in the sidelines.

"Tamaki Suoh will make the first move. Battle, begin!" the referee announced.

"This is one of my fabulous Pokemon, Haxorus!" Tamaki Suoh sent out a Haxorus.

This caused all the fangirls in the audience to squee.

"Who's that Pokemon?" Dawn asked, attempting to scan Tamaki's Haxorus using her Pokedex.

It said, "Haxorus, the Axe Jaw Pokemon, and the evolved form of Fraxure. Its sturdy tusks will stay sharp even when they are used for cutting through steel."

"So that's a Haxorus?" Dawn asked Iris.

Iris replied, "Yes, and it's Axew's final evolutionary form, right, Axew?" Her Axew smiled, saying its name out loud.

"I don't mind if you have more supporters. Eelektross, go!" Kyon once again sent out the Eelektross Brendan loaned to him.

"Wasn't it the same Pokemon Brendan just handed over to Kyon on his match with Kamina?" Dawn asked, also scanning Eelektross in her Pokedex.

It said, "Eelektross, the EleFish Pokemon, and the evolved form of Eelektrik. Eelektross's mouth is capable of sucking in its prey and inflicting it with electric shock at the same time."

"Obviously, I'll make the first move," Tamaki said, "Haxorus, use Leer!"

Using Leer, Haxorus managed to intimidate Eelektross.

"Eelektross, use Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it, Haxorus!"

Tamaki's Haxorus avoided Thunderbolt.

"Now use Earthquake!"

Haxorus created a shock wave by slamming the ground. The shock wave is then turned into an actual earthquake, shaking the entire battlefield.

"Eelektross, dodge it!"

Unfortunately, Eelektross gets hit by the attack and is knocked away.

Burgundy made tantrums and yelled, "When will that Kyon ever defeat that guy?"

Georgia responded, "What's up with you ranting about Tamaki Suoh anyway?"

"And Haxorus hits Eelektross with an earth-shaking Earthquake attack!" O'Martian yelled on a microphone.

Alder made a slight nod and remarked, "Then that means Haxorus must have Mold Breaker as its ability."

Haruhi wondered, "Isn't Mold Breaker supposed to enable the Pokemon to hit its opponent regardless of its ability?"

"You're correct, Haruhi," Dawn replied, "Hey, Ash. Isn't it the same ability that Roark's Rampardos just activated way back when you were still battling in the Oreburgh Gym?"

Ash thought and said, "Of course! That was the same ability that canceled Pikachu's Static!"

Back in the battlefield, Kyon thought, "Mold Breaker?"

Tamaki Suoh replied, "Yes, Kyon. Mold Breaker is an ability that enables Haxorus to hit its opponent regardless of its ability. And that explains why Eelektross got hit by Earthquake despite the fact that it has Levitate. That's the reason why Haxorus is one fabulous Pokemon."

Haruhi yelled, "Kyon, you're going to get a penalty if you lose!"

"You can do it, Kyon!" Ash yelled.

Kyon thought, "Brendan just told me that Eelektross can use Substitute. Alright, I wonder how it works."

"Your Haxorus will say goodnight with this move. Use Substitute!"

"Haxorus, use Earthquake one more time!"

Haxorus once again used Earthquake to hit Eelektross. But it ended up hitting Eelektross's afterimage of itself.

"How's that possible?" Tamaki Suoh wondered.

O'Martian remarked, "And Eelektross avoids Earthquake with a Substitute attack!"

Alder commented, "Making a clone of itself just to avoid Earthquake is a good strategy that Kyon just used."

"Eelektross, Grass Knot!"

"Haxorus, use Dragon Claw!"

Haxorus charged at the real Eelektross using Dragon Claw. Unfortunately, Haxorus tripped its feet over two blades of grass tied to each other, knocking it out before it could use its attack.

"No, not my fabulous Haxorus!" Tamaki screamed.

"Haxorus is unable to battle. Eelektross wins, and the victor goes to Kyon!" the referee declared.

O'Martian announced, "And Kyon is the second participant to move on to the quarterfinals!"

This caused most of the female crowd to frown, disappointed by Tamaki Suoh's loss.

When Yuri Nakamura was on the opposite side of the bleachers, she noticed Kanade standing beside Ash and his friends as well as the four members of the SOS Brigade.

"It's her again!" she muttered, "I don't want that Tenshi to let them find out about our mission to make sure Haruhi Suzumiya gets eliminated from the tournament!" She then left off.

Kyon approached Eelektross, who was already exhausted.

"Eelektross, you did great again," Kyon said, as he recalled it back to its Poke Ball and returned to the sidelines.

"Kyon, you just made a good thinking about when to use Substitute," Brendan said.

"Well, thanks," Kyon replied, "By the way, what does Substitute do?"

Haruhi replied, "Substitute enables your Pokemon to create a decoy that takes the opponent's attacks."

Brendan added, "For a Pokemon to use the move though, it must use up some of its health. That is Substitute's own version of equivalent exchange."

"Just when did you make an anime reference just to explain how Substitute works?" Kyon muttered.

"Well, I was just exaggerating it."

"And now, the next battle is between Trip and Cilan," O'Martian announced, "The last time the two ever met was in Nimbasa Town's Club Battle Tournament, where Cilan's Dwebble managed to defeat Trip's Gurdurr in an intense match."

Trip and Cilan both went out to the battlefield.

"Because they are pitted up once again to face each other in the quarterfinals, I want to expect the two to do their best," Alder remarked.

Trip glanced at Alder and thought, "I want to prove that I'm worthy of winning this tournament."

Cilan thought, "I see the suspicion that Trip's are going to win this match and eventually, the tournament. But he is facing a gym leader none other than me."

The referee announced, "Let the battle begin!"

"Go, Serperior!" Trip once again sent out his Serperior.

"Prepare for one of my premium brands, Crustle!" Cilan brought out his Crustle.

While the battle was going on, Haruhi Kamisaka was on the preparing for the next match when suddenly, she gets kidnapped by Yuri Nakamura and is released in an empty room.

Kyon was walking on an alley when he suddenly noticed what was going on, and so, he followed and hid into a corner near the room where Yuri just entered.

"Your next opponent is Haruhi Suzumiya, right?" Yuri asked Haruhi Kamisaka.

"Uh, yeah," the latter replied.

"I have a favor for you. If you defeat her in the next match, you will be given a reward from us. You got that?"

"Uh, I don't know. . . . . "

Yuri yelled, "I just wanted to make sure that other Haruhi loses!"

Haruhi Kamisaka replied nervously, "Uh, ok."

Kyon thought to himself, "I know what's going on, she wanted to make sure Suzumiya gets eliminated from the tournament first by letting her opponent make an alliance with that Haruhi lookalike!"

He then left off, causing Otonashi to notice.

"I wonder who was there outside?" he wondered.

When Otonashi checked outside, Kyon was already gone.

Back in the battle, Trip's Serperior is shown firing Frenzy Plant at Cilan's Crustle, effectively knocking it out.

"Crustle is unable to battle. Serperior wins, and the victor goes to Trip!" the referee declared.

"And Trip moves on to the quarterfinals!" O'Martian declared.

Burgundy was not amused when she witnessed Cilan's defeat.

"Why won't you beat Trip already!" she yelled.

Georgia replied, "Why make a rant when you just deemed Cilan as your archrival?"

"Can you imagine how Trip's Serperior was a lot powerful thanks to its Solarbeam and Frenzy Plant?" O'Martian remarked.

"Well, it seems that Trip has gone a long way," replied Alder, which caused Trip to catch his attention. The former pretended to smile as the latter left the arena.

"Whatever. I am going to convince Alder that he is misunderstood about his advice he told to me," Trip thought to himself.

In a corridor, Ash and Cilan met again.

"It's too bad you lost, Cilan," said Ash.

"No wonder Trip and his Serperior pack a powerful taste," Cilan replied.

Suddenly, Kyon rushed in front of Ash and Cilan. He said, "Ash, Cilan, both of you should listen closely. Yuri Nakamura is secretly attempting to make sure Haruhi gets eliminated!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ash replied.

"Can you two recall that one time when I let Koizumi explain about Suzumiya's powers?"

Ash and Cilan replied, "Yes."

"When Haruhi is frustrated, something bad will happen. And that's the possible outcome when she loses in this tournament."

Ash asked, "You mean, the closed spaces and celestials that Itsuki told us about?"

"Yes. If you want to cooperate and stop this, will you two help me out?" Kyon convinced.

"And now, the next match of the second round is between Haruhi Suzumiya and Haruhi Kamisaka!" O'Martian declared.

Alder remarked, "Looks like this is the second time that Haruhi Suzumiya will face off against a challenger who shares her name."

"Now that's what I call a second one Haruhi limit," O'Martian remarked.

"Here, take this Poke Ball. It's the same Pokemon that you used against Fujioka," Brendan said as he handed the Poke Ball to Haruhi.

Suddenly, he noticed Kyon, Ash and Cilan, returning to the sidelines.

"What's up? It's your best friend up against another Haruhi," Brendan said to Kyon.

"What? Another Haruhi? I wonder why do people seem to share Suzumiya's first name like that," Kyon thought.

The referee declared, "Let the battle begin!"

The second Haruhi battle has already started, but who among the two wins it is yet to be revealed. . . . .

**To be continued. . . . . . .**

On the next chapter:

The battle between Haruhi Suzumiya and Haruhi Kamisaka is now under way. Who among the two will win? And what else will happen in the quarterfinals? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_Author's note #2:_

_For people to wonder who's Haruhi Kamisaka, she's the main character from the anime and visual novel Happiness, even though it's rather obscure compared to the likes of Ouran High School Host Club and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya._

_And if you've been wondering from the previous chapters why Angel Beats takes the spotlight in the Tournament Arc, there is obviously one reason for that. Yuri Nakamura is thought by many to bear an uncanny resemblance to Haruhi Suzumiya.  
_

_References:_

_The chapter subtitle is a reference to the movie and comic book of the same name._

_Fullmetal Alchemist_


	11. Tournament Arc Part IV

_Author's note:__ I almost had writer's block on this one, though I eventually got better. . . . . so, enjoy the chapter. . . . . _

* * *

**_Chapter 11_**

**_Tournament Arc IV - One Haruhi Limit_**

"Swoobat, I choose you!" Haruhi Kamisaka sent out a Swoobat.

"Electivire, go!" Haruhi Suzumiya once again sent out the same Pokemon that she used against Haruhi Fujioka.

Dawn remarked, "Haruhi Suzumiya is obviously at a type advantage."

Mikuru asked, "But why is that?"

"Electivire is an Electric-type Pokemon."

Cilan added, "That means Swoobat is obviously at a type disadvantage because it's a Flying-type."

"So that means Suzumiya is gonna win easily?" Mikuru wondered.

"However, that's just a bit too early to conclude though," Cilan replied.

"We'll make the first move. Swoobat, use Air Slash!"

"Electivire, use Thunderpunch!"

Haruhi Suzumiya's 'Electivire' smashed Swoobat's Air Slash with Thunderpunch.

"Dodge it!" Swoobat fortunately managed to avoid Electivire's attack.

"Now use Heart Stamp!"

"Electivire, Psychic!"

Haruhi Kamisaka's Swoobat manages to hit Electivire with its attack before the latter can use Psychic.

As a result, the effects of Swoobat's Heart Stamp caused Electivire to flinch.

"The effects of Heart Stamp caused Electivire to flinch!" O'Martian announced.

Kyon asked Brendan, "What does 'flinch' mean?"

The latter replied, "A Pokemon inflicted with flinching is prevented from attacking."

"That can't be right if the opponent Pokemon goes first, right?" Kyon asked.

"Yes, and that's when the effect happens," Itsuki added.

Kyon asked Itsuki, "How do you even know about flinching, Koizumi?"

"Those are one of the statuses a Pokemon can inflict in battle."

"Electivire, use Thunderpunch one more time!"

"Swoobat, Heart Stamp!"

Electivire's Thunderpunch clashed with Swoobat's Heart Stamp. But Heart Stamp was overpowered, hitting Swoobat dead-on and knocking it out.

"Swoobat, no!" Haruhi Kamisaka screamed.

"Swoobat is unable to battle. Electivire wins, and the victor goes to Haruhi Suzumiya!" the referee declared.

"And Haruhi Suzumiya is the next to enter the quarterfinals!" O'Martian declared.

"Electivire, return." Haruhi Suzumiya recalled Electivire back to its Poke Ball.

"Swoobat, you did a good job. Take a break," Haruhi Kamisaka did the same. After a handshake, the two then left the battlefield.

Haruhi Suzumiya went back to the sidelines.

"Here, thank you for lending me this Poke Ball," she said, returning the Poke Ball to Brendan.

The next battle of the second round was between Ash and Ladonia.

"Leavanny, use Energy Ball!"

With one hit, Leavanny manages to knock out Ladonia's Stunfisk. As a result, Ash proceeded to the semifinals.

The last battle of the second round was between Yuri vs. Dawn.

The two competitors went outside the battlefield.

"Let the battle begin!" the referee declared.

"Mamoswine, take the stage!" Dawn sent out Mamoswine.

"Go, Vanilluxe!" Yuri sent out a Vanilluxe.

"I wonder what was that ice cream Pokemon Yuri sent out," Kyon and Mikuru wondered.

Without Haruhi hearing her, Yuki replied, "It is called a Vanilluxe, an Ice-type Pokemon lifeform."

"And what about that Pokemon Dawn just sent out?"

Itsuki replied, "It is called a Mamoswine. That Pokemon evolves from Piloswine."

"Vanilluxe, Flash Cannon!"

"Dodge it, Mamoswine!" Dawn's Mamoswine dodged Flash Cannon.

"Now use Take Down!"

"Vanilluxe, Flash Cannon one more time!"

Flash Cannon hit Mamoswine before it could use Take Down.

O'Martian yelled, "And Mamoswine gets hit with an effective Flash Cannon!"

"Mamoswine, get up!" Dawn yelled.

Mamoswine eventually got up, just in time for Dawn to instruct it to, "Use Hidden Power!"

"Prepare to be surprised for Vanilluxe's next attack," said Yuri, "Use Mirror Coat!"

"What? It could use Mirror Coat?" Dawn asked in shock.

Vanilluxe used Mirror Coat to bounce Hidden Power back at Mamoswine, knocking it away.

"Now for the finisher. Use Sheer Cold!"

"Mamoswine, get up and dodge it!" Dawn yelled.

Mamoswine was helpless getting up to dodge Sheer Cold. Because of the nature of Sheer Cold to instantly knock out the opponent, it fainted in the blink of an eye.

"Mamoswine, no!" screamed Dawn.

"Mamoswine is unable to battle. Vanilluxe wins, and the victor goes to Yuri Nakamura!"

O'Martian concluded, "And Yuri is the last to go on to the quarterfinals!"

Iris frowned and said, "That was a resounding loss for Dawn."

"I conclude that Yuri Nakamura is packed with a lot of strong flavor in her," Cilan deduced.

Haruhi remarked, "That was a powerful Sheer Cold Vanilluxe just used."

"Yeah, but what's Sheer Cold?" Kyon curiously wondered.

Yuki replied to Kyon, "Sheer Cold. An Ice-type move that instantly knocks out the opponent's Pokemon if it hits."

"That can't be right," Kyon deduced.

He then thought, "From what Cilan just said, Yuri is that one strong trainer who might give Haruhi a run for her money. That can be a problematic if she and Haruhi were to battle one day."

"Mamoswine, return." Dawn recalled Mamoswine back to its Poke Ball and went back to the sidelines.

O'Martian announced, "Folks, we now have the 6 participants moving on to the quarterfinals."

The screen displayed cards showing pictures of Iris, Kyon, Ash, Trip, Haruhi Suzumiya and Yuri Nakamura.

Alder announced, "The quarterfinals will take place tomorrow right here. I suggest to all the 6 participants to take a rest."

That night, Brendan, Ash, Dawn, Iris, and the 5 members of the SOS Brigade went to the dining room to eat dinner prepared by none other than Cilan himself.

"That was delicious! Can I have some more of this food?" Haruhi asked Cilan.

"There is plenty of food. After all, it's all dedicated for you, Kyon, Ash, and Iris and your respective victories."

Cilan then prepared Pokemon food for Ash's Pikachu and Iris's Axew.

When Iris frowned, Ash noticed her and said, "Iris, what's wrong?"

"Well, it's about Dragonite. I wonder if Dragonite will obey me." Iris fished out Dragonite's Poke Ball from her pocket and stared at it.

Suddenly, Doremi Harukaze, Hazuki Fujiwara, Aiko Senoo, Onpu Segawa, and Momoko Asuka all showed up on the table.

"Why, looks like we have guests," Cilan said as he noticed the five.

"We actually came here because all the food in the cafeteria were sold out," Hazuki said.

"Sure, come and eat with us. The more people, the merrier," the Pokemon Connoisseur replied.

Doremi asked, "Is there steak in here? The five of us are all starving."

Cilan replied, "You five are just in time, because right now, steak is the main dish for tonight's dinner."

The Pokemon Connoisseur then served a plate of steak in the dining table.

Everyone took a slice just before Doremi could get one.

Doremi muttered, "Awww. . . . Why is the steak always gone?"

"Here, have a piece." Brendan transferred the remaining pieces of his steak in Doremi's plate.

When she took a bite, she remarked, "This steak tasted any better! I would like to thank the one who prepared it!"

Cilan remarked, "Well, thank you."

Suddenly, someone opened the door and it was Tetsuya Kotake.

"Dojimi, why are you and your friends dining with some strangers?" asked Kotake.

"It's not Dojimi!" yelled Doremi, "But why are you here?"

"Well, it's just. . . . . to eat dinner with you guys," replied Kotake.

Kyon asked Cilan, "Can I go and look for something to drink?"

"Sure, you can check it out on the cafeteria."

Kyon then left the room with Kotake wondering where he is going.

He was walking into a corridor when he suddenly noticed a familiar voice yelling inside a door. He then plugged his ear into the door to hear the conversation.

**Inside the room:**

"I'm sorry for disappointing you, Yurippe," Haruhi Kamisaka cried.

"That's unacceptable! You were supposed to make sure Haruhi Suzumiya gets eliminated from the tournament!" Yurippe yelled.

"I did my all, but -"

"No 'buts'! You are dismissed!"

Haruhi Kamisaka was ordered by Yuri Nakamura to leave the room. When she opened the door and ran off, she didn't notice Kyon hiding in the wall outside the room.

Otonashi asked Yuri, "How can we ensure that Haruhi Suzumiya gets eliminated from the tournament now that plan A has failed?"

Yuri thought, "It's complicated for the moment, since it's the quarterfinals, and Haruhi might be pitted up with one of the other four competitors. Looks like we have a long way to go before our plan materializes. Otherwise, we'll have to hatch a plan."

TK said, "Get chance and luck!"

Kyon quietly went back to the room.

When he opened the door, Haruhi was already asleep, making it the perfect time to explain Brendan, Ash, Dawn, Iris, Itsuki, Yuki, Mikuru, and Cilan about Yuri.

"I just had something to tell to the five of you," Kyon whispered.

"What is it?" Brendan quietly asked.

"It's about Yuri Nakamura. Ever since Kanade introduced herself to us in order to reveal Yuri's schemes against Haruhi Suzumiya, I thought that she was up to something bad, and I was eventually right," Kyon said reasonably.

Brendan said, "That's bad."

Dawn, Mikuru, and Iris both asked, "Who's Yuri Nakamura?"

Brendan replied, "If you can tell from her looks, she definitely looks like Haruhi. And if you can recall from earlier, she's the one who defeated me in the preliminary rounds."

When Dawn attempted to recall from her match with Yuri, she suddenly said, "Of course! She definitely looks like Haruhi to me!"

Kyon said, "That's why I was trying to tell Ash and Cilan that she's trying to defeat Haruhi from the tournament or even make sure that she loses."

"It's like you were doing wild mass guessing and suddenly, you ended up being right, Kyon," Dawn said.

Kyon, who was in a thinking pose, thought, "There has got to be a reason behind Yuri's motives."

"Yeah, I was wondering about that too," Iris added, "Besides, from what I've been thinking from Itsuki's explanation about Haruhi's powers, I'm thinking that closed spaces and celestials would possibly appear if Haruhi herself is in a bad mood for losing in the tournament, especially if Yuri defeats her."

"Kyon, from what you just said to Brendan, who's Kanade?" Iris asked.

"A friend of mine," Kyon replied.

**The next morning:**

O'Martian announced, "The quarterfinals of the Junior Cup is now finally here! On the screen are today's matchups."

The screen showed Kyon vs. Haruhi Suzumiya, Trip vs. Iris, and Ash vs. Yuri Nakamura.

Yuri thought to herself, "I thought Haruhi was going to be my next opponent. Oh well, I'll eventually face her."

Meloetta showed its presence, sitting on top of a beam.

"And now, the first battle of the quarterfinals between Haruhi vs. Kyon is coming under way!" O'Martian declared.

Haruhi said, "Kyon, looks like we'll get to battle against each other, what do you say?"

"Why do I have to battle Haruhi?" Kyon asked Itsuki.

"Like what I always said before, you have to make sure Miss Suzumiya is in a happy state of mind. Just make it a memorable one," the esper replied without Haruhi hearing him.

"Oh, brother," Kyon facepalmed, "This is going to be a bad day if I beat her."

Dawn and Iris cheered to Haruhi and Kyon, "Good luck to the two of you!"

Brendan approached Haruhi and said, "The Pokemon I will loan to you for today is Accelgor. The moves that it knows are Agility, Focus Blast, Bug Buzz, and Recover."

He then handed over the Poke Ball to her.

Brendan then went to Kyon and said, "Here's another Pokemon that I will hand over to you."

He sent out a Yanma.

"What is that Pokemon?" Kyon asked.

"It's called a Yanma. This Pokemon knows the moves AncientPower, Detect, Air Slash, and Bug Buzz."

Brendan said to Yanma, "You will be battling for Kyon today. He has yet to have a Pokemon, so I decided to let him borrow you temporarily." The Clear Wing Pokemon agreed.

He then recalled it back to its Poke Ball.

O'Martian announced on the microphone, "And now, the first battle of the quarterfinals is here, and it's between Kyon vs. Haruhi Suzumiya!"

"Let the battle begin!" the referee announced.

"Yanma, go!" Kyon sent out the Yanma Brendan loaned to him.

"Go, Accelgor!" Haruhi sent out the Accelgor also loaned by Brendan.

"I'll make the first move. Yanma, use Air Slash," Kyon commanded.

"Dodge it!"

Accelgor took advantage of its high speed to avoid Yanma's Air Slash.

"Now use Focus Blast!"

Suddenly, Kyon's 'Yanma' flew very fast, leaving a green trail of energy, avoiding Focus Blast.

"And Yanma activates its ability, Speed Boost!" O'Martian remarked.

"If Yanma keeps this up, it will be three times faster," Alder commented.

"So Speed Boost is what's making Yanma fly faster," Kyon and Haruhi both thought.

The latter said, "Accelgor, catch up with Yanma using Agility!"

"Use AncientPower!"

Yanma's AncientPower hits Accelgor for effective damage.

"Hey, no fair!" Haruhi yelled.

Suddenly, Yanma was imbued into white light, indicating that it evolved.

Kyon wondered, "Could that be?"

O'Martian remarked, "What do you have it, folks, looks like Yanma is evolving!"

Kyon wondered, "When did Yanma suddenly evolve?"

Haruhi replied, "It did because it learned AncientPower."

"How could a move trigger a Pokemon to evolve?"

Mikuru wondered, "I thought that Pokemon evolve if they are stronger."

Dawn replied, "However, there are other factors that cause a Pokemon to evolve. In the case of Yanma, it evolved by learning a specific move, and it was AncientPower."

"So what's it called if it evolves?" Iris wondered.

Dawn replied, "Yanmega." She checked out her Pokedex and it said, "Yanmega, the Ogre Darner Pokemon, and the evolved form of Yanma. When it beats its wings, it causes shockwaves that cause critical injuries on its foes."

Kyon wondered, "I wonder what shall I call to Yanma now that it evolved."

Haruhi yelled, "It's now a Yanmega, you idiot!"

"Yanmega?" Kyon thought and said, "Alright, Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

"Use Focus Blast!"

Yanmega's Air Slash and Accelgor's Focus Blast collided with each other, causing an explosion.

Yanmega's Speed Boost was once again activated, making it fly even faster.

"And once again, Yanmega, fresh from evolution, activates its Speed Boost ability!" O'Martian announced.

"Looks like Yanmega is speeding up. Accelgor, use Agility!"

Using Agility, Accelgor caught up to Yanmega's speed.

"Folks, looks like Agility caused Accelgor to run three times faster! And it's appropriately red in color!" O'Martian yelled on the microphone.

"It seems both Pokemon are raising their speeds to their maximum levels," Alder remarked.

"Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

"Dodge it!"

Unfortunately, Yanmega's Air Slash was avoided easily by Accelgor.

"Now use Focus Blast!"

Accelgor's Focus Blast hits Yanmega, sending it down to the field. Fortunately, the latter gets up, still flapping its wings.

"Use Air Slash!"

Yanmega hits back on Accelgor using its attack.

"Now use Recover!"

Accelgor regained health to alleviate the damage dealt from Air Slash and AncientPower.

Haruhi remarked, "You know, Kyon, you are doing real good. But I'm gonna win. Accelgor, use Bug Buzz!"

Kyon responded, "Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

Both moves created yet another explosion. However, Haruhi quickly thought and said, "Accelgor, use Bug Buzz one more time!"

Bug Buzz cleared the smoke from the explosion and hit Yanmega on the spot, knocking it out.

"Yanmega!" Kyon yelled.

"Yanmega is unable to battle. Haruhi and Accelgor are the winners!" the referee declared.

"And so, Haruhi moves on the semifinals!" O'Martian announced.

"That was a battle between the fast and the furious," Alder remarked.

"Accelgor, return." Haruhi recalled Accelgor.

"Yanmega, thank you for battling for me," Kyon said as he also did the same.

"I guess Haruhi won," he thought and concluded, "Oh well, at least I did my all."

The two then left back to the sidelines as Iris was up next to battle Trip.

"You did a great battle, Kyon," Itsuki said.

Kyon replied, "Well, you only said that because I lost."

"On the bright side, you managed to make sure the battle will be memorable for Miss Suzumiya."

On the other hand, Haruhi was being congratulated by Ash, Dawn, Cilan, and Brendan as the latter patted her and Kyon in both shoulders for doing well.

Brendan said to Kyon, "You and Haruhi did a great battle. I'd rather admit, I wanted you to witness Pokemon evolution, because that's how a Pokemon becomes stronger, you know."

"You did it on purpose?"

"That wasn't on purpose, Kyon."

Kyon muttered, "You've got to be kidding me."

"You know what Darwin's theory just said, 'Evolutionism, ho!'" Brendan said and cackled.

Kyon facepalmed and muttered, "Just why did he have to make such a video game reference?"

O'Martian declared, "And now, the second battle of the quarterfinals is between Trip vs. Iris."

Ash said, "Iris, I wish you luck."

"Thanks, Ash!" Iris replied.

Trip and Iris were now out on the battlefield.

"Alright. Battle begin!" the referee announced.

**To be continued. . . . .**

On the next chapter:

The Junior Cup moves on to its semifinal match, and that match is between Yuri Nakamura and Haruhi Suzumiya. Who among the two will move on to face Trip in the finals? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References:_

_Pirates of the Caribbean_

_TV Tropes_

_Mobile Suit Gundam (see the explanation below)_

___Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale_

_Author's note #2:_

_One of the main cameos for this chapter are the first five main characters of Magical DoReMi, also known as Ojamajo Doremi in Japan. It's pretty obscure when compared to other magical girl series like Pretty Cure, Sailor Moon, and Puella Magi Madoka Magica now that the show has ended a long time ago (though it has recently updated itself in a form of a light novel), but that's where the username Ojamajo Pokemon Master is named after, the other obviously being Pokemon. _

_This chapter uses the Japanese names for the first four characters of Ojamajo Doremi (Doremi, Hazuki, Aiko, Onpu) instead of the English dub names (Dorie, Reanne, Mirabelle, Ellie)._

_If you've been wondering from the previous chapters who is Ladonia, he is one of the micronation characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers. And why does he have a Stunfisk in this chapter? Anyone who has checked out Hetalia Bloodbath 2011 will get free points._

_There's an obvious reference to Mobile Suit Gundam in the battle between Haruhi and Kyon. To explain the reference (to some people who don't know or know little about Gundam), Char Aznable (who is one of the main antagonists of the show) owns and pilots a red-colored Zaku __(the mecha used by the antagonists) _that runs three times faster than a normal Zaku. To elaborate furthermore, the Pokedex colors of Yanma and Accelgor are both red. The former has the Speed Boost ability, while the latter has a high Speed stat. Does it look hilarious when anything that's red is truly three times faster?


	12. Tournament Arc Part V

_Author's Note: I might not expect to publish the next chapter for the next few days due to exams.  
_

_P.S: Though this is fanfiction, I do not own Pokemon, Haruhi Suzumiya, or Angel Beats.  
_

* * *

**_Chapter 12_**

**_Tournament Arc V - Darker than Black Kyurem_**

"Dragonite, come on out!" Iris sent out her Dragonite.

"Go, Serperior!" Trip brought out Serperior.

"Serperior, use Leer!"

Trip's Serperior used Leer, intimidating Iris's Dragonite.

"Dragonite, Flamethrower!"

Iris's Dragonite attempts its attack at Trip's Serperior. But the latter avoided it with ease.

"Use Ice Beam!"

Serperior gets hit by Ice Beam from midair, trapping it partially on ice.

"Serperior, free yourself with Dragon Tail!"

Serperior managed to break itself out from the ice with its attack.

Kyon thought, "Wasn't that. . . . . . . the same move that Brendan's Hydreigon just used earlier when it was still a wild Pokemon?"

* * *

_"Alright, use Brave Bird!" The wild Hydreigon used Dragon Tail, hitting Staraptor before it landed its Brave Bird. The Predator Pokemon is then sent back to its Poke Ball, causing Luxray to be sent out._

* * *

Haruhi wondered, "Kyon, what's wrong?"

"Well, it's nothing, Haruhi. I was just thinking that Serperior had a hard time getting out from that Ice Beam."

"Now use Ice Beam one more time!"

Serperior dodges Ice Beam, but it left its tail frozen.

"Serperior, get up!" Trip yelled.

In all of a sudden, Trip's Serperior glowed green.

"What's Serperior doing?" Kyon asked Itsuki.

Itsuki replied, "Serperior is activating an ability called Overgrow. Once it is weakened, all of its Grass-type moves will become powerful."

"And Trip's Serperior activates its Overgrow ability!" O'Martian yelled.

"Serperior, use SolarBeam!"

Using the power of the sun combined with the power of Overgrow, Trip's Serperior fired SolarBeam, hitting Dragonite for decent damage.

O'Martian commented, "Now that's a powerful Solarbeam Serperior just used!"

"Dragonite, get up!"

In all of a sudden, Dragonite became berserk yet again, firing Ice Beam all over the field.

"Dragonite, you've got to stop!" Iris yelled.

Cilan was worried when Dragonite failed to obey Iris.

Georgia remarked, "Looks like Dragonite's got obedience issues."

"_Oui._ It would look bad for Iris's taste if that happens," replied Burgundy.

"Serperior, Frenzy Plant!"

Suddenly, large roots emerged from the ground as Dragonite was still in its rage.

"Dragonite! Dodge it!"

Dragonite failed to obey Iris as it was still firing Ice Beams all over the field. As a result, Frenzy Plant hit it, knocking it out.

"Dragonite, no!" Iris screamed.

"Dragonite is unable to battle. Serperior wins, and the victor goes to Trip!"

O'Martian commented, "And so Trip moves on!"

Iris went down to her knees.

"Dragonite was doing so well at the start. But it went berserk yet again in the end," Dawn remarked.

Cilan, with a worried look in his face, replied, "That was considered to be a not-so-good flavor in Dragonite's part."

Outside the stadium, Brendan, Cilan, and Ash saw Iris in a depressed mood, as well as her Dragonite.

"I'm so stupid," Iris muttered, ". . . . . so stupid, I'd end up becoming a witch just like a certain magical girl."

"Now, Iris, don't even think of saying that," Cilan said, trying to comfort Iris.

"Well, well, well. Looks like the Dragon Master has decided to insult herself," said Georgia, who was behind Iris.

"_Oui. _The fact that your Dragonite has failed you in terms of obedience has led you to just getting a bitter taste," added Burgundy, who was beside Georgia.

Cynthia showed up and said, "I was wondering if I can agree to give you and your Dragonite some piece of advice. As you can see, it would be a good idea if Dragonite has to improve a bit when it comes to obedience."

Iris agreed.

In all of a sudden, a familiar voice was heard from the stadium.

"And now, the last match of the quarterfinals between Ash vs. Yuri is up next!"

"Looks like I'll be going now, bye!" said Ash as he left off. Cilan, Brendan, and Iris eventually followed him.

Back in the stadium, Ash and Yuri Nakamura were on both sides of the field.

When Ash noticed Yuri on the opposite side of the field, he thought, "No wonder Kyon was right. She does bear an uncanny resemblance to Haruhi."

"Go, Ash. You can do it!" Dawn cheered, along with her Piplup.

The referee announced, "Battle begin!"

"Pignite, I choose you!"

"Go, Chandelure!"

Yuri and Ash both sent out Chandelure and Pignite respectively.

"What was that Pokemon?" Kyon and Dawn wondered, referring to Yuri's Chandelure.

The latter checked out her Pokedex and it said, "Chandelure, the Luring Pokemon and the evolved form of Lampent. It hypnotizes its opponents using the flames in its arms."

"What is Chandelure's type?" Kyon asked Dawn.

Dawn scanned on her Pokedex and it said, "Chandelure is a Ghost and Fire-type."

"Pignite, use Tackle!"

Pignite attempts to hit Chandelure with Tackle, but is avoided easily.

Kyon wondered, "But how?"

Cilan replied, "Normal-type moves like Tackle don't work on Ghost-types like Chandelure."

"Chandelure, use Shadow Ball!"

Chandelure fires four purple balls all at once.

"Dodge it and use Flame Charge!"

Pignite avoided all the Shadow Balls and stomped its feet, charging at Chandelure.

"Block it!"

"But how?"

Chandelure blocked Pignite's Flame Charge, activating Flash Fire.

"And Yuri's Chandelure makes use of its Flash Fire ability to block Pignite's Flame Charge!" O'Martian commented.

"What's Flash Fire?" Kyon asked.

Yuki replied without Haruhi hearing her, "Flash Fire is an ability that increases the power of Fire-type moves if a Pokemon gets hit by one."

"That looks similar to Electivire's Motor Drive, right?"

"Yes. It also enables the Pokemon to be immune to any Fire-type move."

"That can't be good if all of Pignite's moves are Fire-type moves," Kyon concluded.

"Chandelure, use Fire Blast!"

"Pignite, get out of there!"

Ash's Pignite gets hit by a Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast and is knocked away.

"Pignite, get up!" Ash yelled.

Pignite is struggling to get up.

"Pignite has a lot of problems touching Chandelure," Cilan said.

"But why?" Iris and Kyon asked.

"Chandelure's Flash Fire ability prevents all Fire-type moves from inflicting damage against it and convert it into power for its Fire-type moves. Not to mention, Tackle doesn't do a thing either."

"Pignite, use Fire Pledge!"

Pignite created pillars of fire all around Chandelure. But it only left Chandelure unaffected thanks to its Flash Fire.

"Chandelure, finish it off with Psychic!"

Pignite is lifted up in the air and is then sent down by Chandelure's Psychic. Pignite was already defeated.

"No, Pignite!" Ash yelled.

The referee announced, "Pignite is unable to battle. Chandelure wins, and the victor is Yuri Nakamura!"

"And so, Yuri manages to move on to the semi-finals!" O'Martian announced.

When Trip witnessed Ash's defeat, he remarked, "Looks like the kid from the boonies has just lost the game."

He then sighed and added, "Oh well. What matters, I'm still able to battle Alder anyway when I'm done."

Ash went back to the sidelines in a disappointed mood.

"Ash, that was a tough battle," Brendan remarked.

Ash replied, "I guess you're right, Brendan. From what happened to you in the preliminary round, Yuri Nakamura is definitely a strong trainer."

O'Martian confirmed, "Well, folks. We will be revealing early the match ups of the three trainers who will be moving on, and one of them will directly head for the finals to challenge the winner of the semi-final round."

Three cards were being shuffled onscreen, eventually revealing the match ups to be Yuri Nakamura vs. Haruhi Suzumiya, with Trip moving on to the finals bracket.

"Looks like the match up for the semifinals is between Yuri Nakamura and Haruhi Suzumiya! The winner of this exciting battle will get to challenge Trip in the finals!"

Kyon thought, "That can't be good if they meet. Besides, Yuri wants to defeat Haruhi and it's a possibility that she would use a powerful Pokemon against her."

Yuki added, "The two meeting with each other in a Pokemon battle will create a possibility of a cataclysm to take place."

Kyon tilted his head to Yuki and said without Haruhi hearing him, "Let me guess. If Haruhi loses to Yuri, she would possibly recreate all those closed space and celestial incidents again if she loses, right?"

"Yes." When Yuki said that word, Kyon gasped in shock.

"Kyon, what seems to be the problem?" Dawn, Cilan and Iris asked in unison as they noticed Kyon's look in his face.

"According to Miss Nagato, the world's fate depends on tomorrow's match. If Haruhi wins it, it is saved. But if she loses. . . . . "

". . . . . . .is it the end of the world as we know it?" Iris asked.

"Much likely, yes," Kyon replied in a worried mood.

Dawn, Cilan, and Iris gasped in shock.

Brendan remarked, "That can't be good."

"You're right, Brendan, since Yuri Nakamura is a strong trainer; if you end up loaning Haruhi the wrong Pokemon, her chances of winning are slim," Cilan deduced.

"Obviously, there can be only one," said Ash, "And it can be bad if Haruhi loses."

Trip was amused when he noticed it. He said, "Looks like I am now one step away to facing Alder."

Yuri Nakamura pulled out a small walkie talkie and said softly, "Everything is just as planned. We are one step ahead to eliminating Haruhi Suzumiya from the tournament now that I'm facing against her."

The SSS were in their room in the Pokemon Center when they heard the transmission.

"Alright. We'll be right on it," Otonashi replied on another walkie talkie.

**That night:**

Brendan, Ash, Dawn, Iris, Kyon, and the members of the SOS Brigade once again spent the night eating dinner prepared by Cilan.

"That food tastes better than last time," Mikuru remarked.

"Of course, it is tastier than ever, which of course, comes from the best ingredients available," Cilan replied.

"And of course, even though Ash and Iris were both eliminated, we'll be holding another dinner party. We wish Haruhi Suzumiya the best of luck in the semifinals. And that's why this the third time that I borrowed the Pokemon Center's kitchen."

"Thanks, Cilan," repeated Haruhi.

"You're quite welcome, Haruhi," Cilan smiled and replied.

In the midst of the conversation, Kyon frowned, saying without Haruhi hearing him, "I'm still worried about Haruhi."

Itsuki asked, "What's up?"

"I don't want Haruhi to cause any trouble in the semifinals if she loses to Miss Nakamura. Besides, Miss Nagato just said that if Haruhi and Miss Nakamura were to pit up against each other in a Pokemon battle, there is a possibility that something wrong will happen."

"Don't worry, Miss Nagato is only trying to explain one of the possible outcomes of tomorrow's battle," replied Itsuki, "For the moment, it is a possible theory, however, it will be put up again once it happens."

In the bedroom, when Haruhi set off to sleep, Brendan pulled out a small computer-like device and showed it to Kyon.

Brendan said, "You should check out the data for Yuri Nakamura's Pokemon. As you can see, Kanade gave this device to me a few hours ago so that I can tell which Pokemon I should hand over to Haruhi for tomorrow's match."

"That would be cheating, right?" asked Kyon.

Brendan replied, "Not really, but it would be alright to check out on your opponent's data. Besides, if two trainers were to check out on each other's data, it would determine if one of them should use an all-out offensive strategy or perhaps a defensive one, or maybe applying both."

"So what's the Pokemon Yuri's gonna use for tomorrow?"

Brendan replied to Kyon's question, "She has already used Chandelure on her battle with Ash, so she can't use it for tomorrow. It's more likely that she would use Shedinja again."

"If she uses Shedinja, why don't you lend her the Pokemon that you also loaned to me?"

"I am trying to think carefully, Kyon. You already know what happens if I pick the wrong Pokemon to lend over to Haruhi. Besides, a Pokemon may carry moves that compensate for their weaknesses."

Kyon facepalmed and muttered, "You are definitely more of a strategist than a Pokemon Trainer."

Brendan responded, "Strategy is part of being a Pokemon Trainer. That's the reason."

Meanwhile, Yuri and the SSS were in another room, conducting a meeting of some sort.

Otonashi asked Yuri, "What's the Pokemon you are going to use for tomorrow's match with Haruhi?"

Yuri replied, "I have a lot of strong Pokemon on hand. But this is the one that I'm going to use tomorrow." She then looked at a Poke Ball that she was holding.

TK said, "Get chance and luck!"

"Why does TK ever keep saying that?" Otonashi asked.

"I don't know," Noda replied.

Kanade Tachibana was outside the room, overhearing the conversation. She then left off.

**The next morning:**

"And now, the semifinals of the Junior Cup tournament is here!" O'Martian announced.

Alder remarked, "This match between Yuri Nakamura and Haruhi Suzumiya will determine who among the two will face off against Trip in the finals."

Meloetta was behind Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan, watching the battle without being seen.

"Haruhi, this is complicated, but the Pokemon I'm going to lend over to you for today is Ninjask."

"Ninjask?" Haruhi asked.

Brendan sent out a Ninjask and replied, "Haruhi, this Pokemon knows the moves Swords Dance, Protect, Aerial Ace, and X-Scissor."

He then recalled it back to its Poke Ball and handed it over to Haruhi.

"Haruhi, keep it up for the glory of the SOS Brigade," Kyon said.

"Don't worry, I'm so good at this, I can easily win!"

When Yuri went out to the battlefield, Otonashi was in the sidelines, contacting her in a small walkie talkie and said, "Is Haruhi already there in the battlefield?"

When Haruhi showed up in the field, she replied on another walkie talkie and replied, "Yes, she is already there."

"This mission is now on the final turn. Once Haruhi is defeated, everything is all according to your plan," Otonashi said, still communicating on the walkie talkie.

Yuri then walked off to the battlefield as the match was about to start.

O'Martian announced, "And now, the semi-finals match between Yuri Nakamura and Haruhi Suzumiya is about to begin!"

Alder remarked, "Yuri Nakamura is thought by many to be like Haruhi Suzumiya, which is fitting because this is what makes it an interesting and exciting battle."

"Let the battle begin!" the referee announced.

"Go, Ninjask!" Haruhi brought out the Ninjask Brendan loaned to him.

Without saying anything, Yuri Nakamura sent out Shedinja.

Kyon muttered, "I knew this was going to happen. She would send out the same Shedinja that defeated Brendan's Pokemon!"

Brendan said to Kyon, "It was very obvious that she would send out that Pokemon."

"It was just as planned?" Kyon asked.

"Yes, though you should thank the data that I showed to you last night."

Kyon wondered, "I wonder if Ninjask can ever touch it."

Haruhi said, "I'll make the first move. Ninjask, use X-Scissor!"

Ninjask charged at Shedinja using X-Scissor. But that attack bounced away from Shedinja's body.

"It looks like Wonder Guard caused Shedinja to bounce X-Scissor away!" O'Martian announced.

Both Kyon and Haruhi gritted their teeth.

Yuri informed Haruhi, "Your Ninjask's X-Scissor didn't do a thing to my Shedinja, and that's why you must keep that in mind that it has Wonder Guard."

She then thought, "If her Ninjask doesn't carry any super effective moves, it will lead to Haruhi Suzumiya's ultimate defeat."

The former asked, "I don't think Haruhi is able to win this. It seems Shedinja's ability is what makes it invincible."

Brendan replied, "You must recall from earlier that there is a way to defeat Shedinja."

"You mean. . . . . . "

* * *

_"As you can see, Wonder Guard is Shedinja's ability. The only way to touch it is to hit it with a super-effective move," Brendan replied._

* * *

"What is Shedinja's type?" Kyon asked._  
_

Itsuki replied, "It's a Bug and Ghost-type."

"Then what are its weaknesses?"

Cilan answered, "Based on what Itsuki mentioned earlier, Fire, Flying, Rock, Dark, and Ghost-type moves are effective against it."

"From what Koizumi just said, Shedinja defines the description of being a Ghost-type in a shell," Kyon thought.

"Of course Shedinja is a Ghost-type in a shell," Brendan said.

"Shedinja, use SolarBeam!"

Using the power of the sun, Yuri's Shedinja fired SolarBeam, targeting its attack at Ninjask.

"Ninjask, dodge it!" SolarBeam was avoided quickly, thanks to Ninjask's Speed Boost, which has activated at the last minute.

"Wasn't that Speed Boost?" Kyon asked.

Itsuki replied, "Yes. That's why Ninjask quickly dodged that SolarBeam."

Yuri muttered, "Ugh. I hate it when Speed Boost is activated." She then said, "Shedinja, use Aerial Ace!"

Kyon, Iris, Dawn, and Cilan were all shocked, saying, "But how can a Shedinja be able to do that move?"

Mikuru wondered, "Isn't Aerial Ace a Flying-type move?"

Shedinja flew into the air, charging its Aerial Ace.

"Ninjask, dodge it!"

Ninjask dodged Aerial Ace. But Shedinja made a u-turn, hitting Ninjask in the back as if it became a homing missile, slamming it into the ground.

"Ninjask, no!" screamed Haruhi.

"And Shedinja's Aerial Ace hit its mark on Ninjask!" O'Martian yelled on a microphone.

Alder remarked, "Aerial Ace is a move that never misses, and that explains why Shedinja was still able to hit Ninjask even after it was avoided in the first place."

"That Aerial Ace was not good for Ninjask's taste," Cilan remarked.

"Not to mention, it's a Bug-type, meaning that would have taken a lot of damage," Ash added.

"Ninjask, get up!" Haruhi yelled.

Yuri said, "Your Ninjask has taken its toll. Shedinja, use SolarBeam!"

"Ninjask, come on! Get up!" yelled Haruhi as Ninjask was struggling to stand up and avoid SolarBeam.

"Could this be the end of Ninjask should it get hit by SolarBeam?" O'Martian curiously remarked.

At the last minute, Ninjask opened its eyes and an explosion occurs.

"Could this be the end for Haruhi?" Kyon wondered.

In all of a sudden, Ninjask emerged out of the smoke and once again activated its Speed Boost ability.

"Alright, use Swords Dance, Ninjask!"

Ninjask's claws grew longer as Yuri gasped in fear.

"No matter how Ninjask becomes more powerful with that Swords Dance, Shedinja is still invincible," Yuri thought and then said, "Shedinja, use Shadow Sneak!"

"Ninjask, use Protect!"

Shedinja became invisible, leaving its shadow behind, indicating the nature of Shadow Sneak. But when it charged at Ninjask, it was blocked by its Protect.

Once again, Speed Boost was activated, causing Ninjask to fly faster.

"Your Ninjask is pretty fast, Haruhi," Yuri remarked, "Does your Ninjask have any super effective moves?"

"Yeah, I almost forgot to remember that Ninjask has one more move," Haruhi replied.

"What is it?"

"Aerial Ace, of course! Isn't it effective on a Bug-type like Shedinja?"

Yuri gasped in shock, thinking, "This can't be happening! I was surprised that Ninjask would have a move that would be able to hit Shedinja and knock it out at the same time."

"In that case, Ninjask will defeat Shedinja," said Haruhi, "Use Aerial Ace!"

"Shedinja, use your own Aerial Ace as well!" responded Yuri.

Both attacks collided as it created an explosion that released a cloud of smoke. It caused the two Pokemon to be blocked from sight.

In all of a sudden, Brendan cracked a certain pose and said, "I think I can see the ending!"

Kyon replied, "You just said that because you think that you're in some dating sim, getting another flag and opening the next route, when you actually aren't."

"Of course I am seeing the ending!" Brendan yelled at Kyon.

"You watch too much anime," Kyon replied.

"I'm telling you, _mukya._ I was just quoting Keima Katsuragi because I know who won the battle, _g__yabo!_"

**To be continued. . . . . **

On the next chapter:

Based on Brendan's guess, who will win the battle? Was it Yuri Nakamura's Shedinja or is it Haruhi Suzumiya's 'Ninjask'? And what else will happen in the finals round of the Junior Cup? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References: The chapter is an obvious pun on Darker than Black._

_Death Note  
_

_Puella Magi Madoka Magica_

_Highlander (see explanation below)_

_Ghost in the Shell_

_The World God Only Knows _

_Nodame Cantabile (see explanation below)_

_Author's note #2: Ash quotes "There can be only one", which is one of the catchphrases spoken in the Highlander movie franchise.  
_

_Anybody who has checked out Nodame Cantabile will find out who says "gyabo!" and "mukya" a lot. It's Noda Megumi._


	13. Tournament Arc Part VI

_Author's note: I was supposed to post this one the other day. And oh, it is only a few chapters remaining before the last chapter of the Tournament Arc._

* * *

**_Chapter 13_**

**_Tournament Arc VI - Thirteen is Unlucky_**

When the smoke cleared, both Ninjask and Shedinja were still up but now on the opposite sides of the field.

Kyon said to Brendan, "Now that you are 'seeing the ending', who among the two is winning?"

There was a moment of silence, that is, until Shedinja revealed itself to be knocked out.

"Shedinja!" screamed Yuri Nakamura.

"Shedinja is unable to battle. Ninjask wins, and the victor goes to Haruhi Suzumiya!"

O'Martian announced, "And there you have it, folks. Haruhi Suzumiya will now move on to face Trip in the finals!"

"Ninjask, you did a great battle for me. Thanks," said Haruhi as she recalled Ninjask back to its Poke Ball and left the battlefield.

"If you didn't check out the data for Yuri Nakamura's Pokemon, the end result would have been worse," said Kyon, "And if Haruhi lost, something would go wrong later on."

After she recalled Shedinja, Yuri looked at Haruhi as she left the battlefield in a jealous mood. She then headed back to the Pokemon Center.

Without being seen by Yuri, Kanade Tachibana was in the lobby, watching a replay of the battle between Yuri and Haruhi on a TV screen.

Kanade then silently followed Yuri as she headed back to the room where the SSS were staying.

When Yuri closed the door, Kanade then started to overhear the conversation.

"So, how's it going?" asked Otonashi.

"Not going so well. I lost," replied Yuri.

"Great. Yurippe lost, and plan B has failed. That means we can't possibly be able to proceed with our mission," said Noda.

"We'll have to do plan C. And this time, that will make Haruhi's life miserable. Being defeated only results in vengeance!" Yuri said and added, "Alright, here's the plan."

In a few minutes later, Kanade then left off to the stadium.

When she arrived at the sidelines, she was greeted by Kyon.

"What's up, Kanade?" he asked.

Ash, Dawn and Iris gasped in shock, saying, "She is Kanade?"

"Yes. I am Kanade Tachibana," Kanade introduced herself to Brendan, Ash, and his friends, "The reason why I am here for Kyon is that he managed to guess Yuri's plan to make Haruhi Suzumiya's life miserable. That was the first reason. Now, Nakamura's attempting to seek revenge for losing to her."

Kyon gasped and said, "That can't be good."

"Right now, she's attempting to bribe Trip to eliminate Haruhi Suzumiya using his strongest Pokemon," Kanade added, "and of course, you already know what happened to Haruhi Kamisaka, right?"

Meanwhile, Trip was on an alley, leaving for the battlefield. However, he was being dragged by Yuri Nakamura to an empty room.

"What's up with you?" Trip asked Yuri as she tied him with some rope to a chair.

"Aren't you going to face off against Haruhi Suzumiya in the finals?" asked Yuri.

"Well, yeah. That's obvious," replied Trip, "And why did you have to tie me up like that?"

"Actually, I have a favor to tell you. If you want to untie yourself, I want you to battle Haruhi using your strongest Pokemon."

"Strongest Pokemon?" Trip asked.

Yuri replied, "Yes. Any Pokemon in your team that has powerful moves that can simply defeat any Pokemon that Haruhi Suzumiya uses."

Suddenly, Kyon and Ash spotted Yuri and Trip in the room as they both went into a corridor to look for the latter.

"It's Trip!" exclaimed Ash.

"And it's that Haruhi-lookalike," Kyon muttered.

Yuri yelled, "Why do you keep comparing me to your friend?"

"What do we have here. It's the kid from the boonies," Trip said, insulting Ash.

"What was that?" Ash yelled.

The latter said, "What are you doing with Trip?"

Yuri, pretending to smile, replied, "Uh, it's just nothing. I just tried to-"

"Stop doing that!" Ash interrupted and yelled, "He's preparing for the finals round and you shouldn't do that to him!"

Yuri then untied Trip and let him go.

She then sent out Chandelure and said, "Use Psychic!"

Chandelure's Psychic restricted Ash and Kyon's movements.

"Why are you doing this to us?" Ash exclaimed.

Yuri Nakamura said as she and Chandelure moved slowly out to the door, "I never expected the two of you to find out about my schemes to take out Haruhi from the Junior Cup and make her suffer. Kyon, the truth is, on that certain day, you guessed it correctly in front of Tenshi about my plan ever since you and your friend that I just defeated earlier in the tournament encountered her. I was there the whole time, spying on the two of you."

"You were there when Kanade informed us of your schemes?" Kyon asked.

"That's already obvious," Yuri replied.

"That won't happen."

"Oh, it will be," replied Yuri, "Let's see how this will all happen when Trip defeats Haruhi and my life is all complete."

She recalled Chandelure and cracked an evil laugh as she went away.

Kyon replied, "I don't know what's her true motive, but what she's doing to Haruhi is definitely wrong."

"I think you are right, Kyon," Ash deduced, "First, you were right about Yuri trying to bribe Haruhi Kamisaka to defeat Haruhi Suzumiya. Now, she probably did it again to Trip!"

Kyon replied, "I agree."

When the two went back to the sidelines, they both approached Kanade, who was still standing beside Dawn and Iris. Along with the rest of the members of the SOS Brigade, they were all away from Haruhi, who was settling with Brendan in which Pokemon the latter should borrow for the final round.

"Kanade, I think you are right. Yuri's making another attempt to ensure that Haruhi Suzumiya gets eliminated!" Kyon said to Kanade. Unfortunately, Iris and Dawn overheard him.

Dawn and Iris both gasped in shock, asking, "Yuri Nakamura? Trying to eliminate Haruhi from the tournament?"

Cilan said, "Yes. Kyon even tried to approach me and Ash in order to explain."

Iris thought, "But why is she going to attempt to ensure Haruhi's elimination?"

Cilan deduced, "I'm having a bad feeling that she is up to do something wrong."

Dawn and Iris both asked, "Kyon, do you have any evidence to prove that Yuri is up to no good?"

"As you can see, I was in a corridor a few days ago when I noticed a commotion. That led me to the room where Yuri and her organization just went off to. As it turned out, they kidnapped a participant in this tournament named Haruhi Kamisaka just to bribe her to simply eliminate Haruhi Suzumiya obviously because she was to be battling with Suzumiya at that time. When I learned of the plan the whole time, that was when I talked to Ash and Cilan."

Brendan added, "Earlier, Kyon and I ended up meeting Yuri Nakamura in the corridor when we were going to the cafeteria to get a drink. Kyon even asked her why does she look like Haruhi."

"From what Yuri just said that night, I was thinking that she is up to something," Kyon also said.

"So that's what happened," Dawn concluded, "If she's trying to provoke Haruhi to create closed spaces and celestials due to frustration, then that would be bad."

"And now, the moment of truth is now finally here," O'Martian announced, "And now, it's the final round of the Junior Cup! The winner of this tournament will get the chance to battle Alder."

"I'm almost there, Alder. I'm gonna prove how strong I really am," thought Trip as he arrived at his position in the battlefield.

Dawn, Iris, and Cilan cheered, "Go, Haruhi! You can do it!"

Before Haruhi went out to the battlefield, Brendan patted her in the shoulder and said, "Haruhi, that is decided. I'll lend you over my Staraptor."

"The same Pokemon I used before?"

"Yes. It still knows the same moves," replied Brendan as he loaned her one of his Poke Balls.

Haruhi then left off to the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Yuri Nakamura was on the opposite side of the bleachers, communicating in a walkie talkie.

"How's the operation going?"

Yuri replied, "The battle is already starting. Once Haruhi is defeated, the plan is all complete."

The referee announced, "Let the battle begin!"

"Serperior, go!" Once again, Trip sent out Serperior.

"Come on out!" Once again, Haruhi brought out the same Staraptor that Brendan loaned to her.

Itsuki remarked, "It appears Serperior is at a type disadvantage compared to Staraptor."

"But how did you know that?" Kyon asked Itsuki.

"As you can see, Miss Suzumiya's 'Staraptor' is part Flying-type, meaning it can simply beat a Grass-type like Serperior."

"So that's another case of type advantage?"

"Indeed."

"Staraptor, Close Combat!"

"Serperior, dodge it!"

Trip's Serperior dodged all of Staraptor's kicks and punches with ease and agility.

"And it looks like Trip's Serperior dodged Close Combat with ease!" O'Martian announced.

"Now use Dragon Tail!"

"Dodge it, Staraptor!"

Staraptor managed to avoid Dragon Tail.

"Staraptor, Aerial Ace!"

"Serperior, Leer!"

Just before Staraptor could use Aerial Ace, it was being intimidated by Serperior's Leer.

"Now use SolarBeam!"

Using the power of the sun, Serperior fired a SolarBeam, hitting Staraptor and knocking it away.

"Staraptor, get up!" Haruhi yelled.

Kyon yelled, "Haruhi, you can do it!"

Itsuki thought, referring to Kyon, "Looks like he is starting to cheer for Miss Suzumiya."

Yuri watched the battle, communicating using a walkie talkie at the same time.

"How's the battle going?"

Yuri replied, "Looks like Haruhi's going to lose after that SolarBeam attack." She then left off, not wanting to watch the rest of the battle.

Kanade noticed Yurippe leaving the premises, which led to her following up after her.

"Kanade, where are you going?" Kyon wondered.

She left off before she could reply to Kyon's question.

"Staraptor, stand up!" exclaimed Haruhi.

"Serperior, finish it off with Dragon Tail!"

"Dodge it!"

Staraptor quickly got up, dodging Dragon Tail.

"Now use Aerial Ace!"

"Block it with Frenzy Plant!"

"Dodge it!"

Giant spiky roots emerged from the ground, attempting to block Staraptor's Aerial Ace. But Staraptor dodged all of them, hitting Serperior.

"And Serperior gets hit by an effective Aerial Ace!" O'Martian announced.

Serperior was still able to get up.

"Now finish it off with Dragon Tail!"

"Use Brave Bird!"

Serperior and Staraptor both clashed their attacks, causing an explosion that resulted in smoke that blocked the two Pokemon away from sight.

"I am seeing the ending again!" Brendan exclaimed as he adopted a certain gesture.

Kyon replied, "You are not in a dating sim. Why are you 'seeing the ending'?"

"Because I can tell who won the battle!"

"Yeah, who won it this time?"

When the smoke cleared, both Pokemon were shown to be knocked out.

"Both Pokemon are unable to battle. This match is a draw!" announced the referee.

"Looks like we have two winners for the Junior Cup tournament, and it's Haruhi and Trip!" O'Martian announced.

Outside the stadium, Yuri was walking when she suddenly looked at the screen.

"Ugh. Looks like the plan failed. It seems that both Haruhi and Trip won," she thought.

A voice was heard from Yuri Nakamura's walkie talkie. When she pulled it out, a voice said, "How's everything going?"

"Not as planned. Haruhi and her opponent ended up winning the Junior Cup. We will stick to our ultimate last resort."

And that was when Kanade was hiding in a corner without Yuri seeing her. She then went back to the premises.

Back in the stadium, Trip and Haruhi went to the center of the stadium to get the trophy from Alder.

O'Martian announced, "And now, Alder will be presenting the trophy of the Junior Cup to both Trip and Haruhi Suzumiya for winning the tournament."

"I thank the two of you for doing well," Alder said as he handed the trophy to the two, "I'm looking forward to battling both of you."

Trip replied, "Me too."

He then thought, "Looks like tomorrow's battle will settle all the differences between me and Alder. I hope Haruhi will be fine about it."

"I believe that you should deserve this trophy than I do," Haruhi said to Trip as she let him carry the trophy for her.

The latter replied, "What are you talking about? Your Pokemon did so great in battling with Serperior."

O'Martian announced, "Now that we have the two winners of the Junior Cup, they will be battling with Alder tomorrow! So don't miss this once in a lifetime event!"

That night in the Pokemon Center, Cilan announced to Ash, Dawn, Iris, Brendan, Kyon, Mikuru, Yuki, Haruhi, and Itsuki, "In order to celebrate Haruhi's victory party, we will be eating outside!"

"In the same restaurant in the stadium? That's gonna be awesome!" Ash replied.

"Yes, you guessed it, Ash. Besides, Chili and Cress will be coming today to prepare a special feast exclusive for the ten of us!"

Haruhi wondered, "We must be there, so no one must be late!" She once again wore a red armband on her left.

"Hey, Kyon. I don't want you to come there late, alright?" Haruhi convinced Kyon.

**Outside the restaurant in the stadium:**

The ten were all in the restaurant, eating outdoors.

"There's no way this food would taste so good!" Haruhi and Mikuru remarked.

"Thank you, you two. Besides, Chili, Cress, and I have a standard that we should use the freshest ingredients when we cook," Cilan replied.

When Kyon was eating, he was suddenly being patted in the shoulder by Itsuki.

"It's good to know that from what you did to cheer for Haruhi to win the final tournament, the chances that celestials and closed spaces will occur have decreased at a lower rate."

"Koizumi, I don't think that those incidents are going to increase any time soon, do you?" Kyon replied.

When Kanade noticed the ten eating outside the restaurant, she said, "I am starving. Can I join in with you?"

"Sure, Kanade. You can join in with us," Kyon replied.

"Kanade, do you like the food that Cilan prepared?" Dawn asked.

Kanade replied, "I like the food that the Pokemon Connoisseur just prepared. He really is a good cook."

"Why thank you, Kanade," Cilan smiled and said.

Yuri Nakamura and the SSS were riding on a pickup driven by Naoi Ayato when she suddenly noticed Haruhi Suzumiya and the nine others eating outside the restaurant.

"Ayato, can you pull the brakes?" asked Yuri, requesting him to pull over.

Yuri then pulled out a pair of binoculars to spy out on Haruhi.

"What's up, Yurippe?" asked Otonashi.

Yuri replied, "We have found our main target, eating in that restaurant near us."

"You mean, Haruhi Suzumiya?"

"You bet, Otonashi," Yuri said, "I would obviously be expecting her to conduct an outdoor victory party. After all, she and Trip drew in the finals and won the Junior Cup."

When she zoomed on Kanade, she gasped in shock.

"When did that Tenshi decide to eat dinner with them?" Yuri asked.

"Tenshi? Can I borrow the binoculars?" Otonashi asked Yuri as he borrowed the binoculars and zoomed it at Kanade, who was eating beside Ash.

"What shall we do, Yurippe? We shouldn't let any of them attempt to foil our future plans. Besides, what if Tenshi knew all about this and told it to them before we could hatch it up?" asked Noda.

"We'll obviously have to capture all of them," Yuri replied, "Noda, you know the plan, because we're counting on you."

"Weezing, go!" Noda sent out a Weezing.

Outside the restaurant, the nine were still eating, when suddenly, Cilan went out the entrance door, announcing, "The cake's ready!"

Chili and Cress went out, pushing a food cart loaded with the cake and brought it out on the table.

When everyone took a slice of the cake, in all of a sudden, Noda's Weezing showed up, floating on top of the table.

"Who's that Pokemon?" Dawn, Mikuru, Kyon, and Iris asked in unison.

"It's a Weezing!" Ash said.

When Dawn scanned the Pokedex, it said, "Weezing, the Poison Gas Pokemon, and the evolved form of Koffing. It feeds on gases given off by garbage. It is thought that mutation of two Koffings resulted in this Pokemon."

"So that's a Weezing," Iris and Mikuru concluded, "I wonder why it's here in the first place."

In all of a sudden, Weezing used SmokeScreen, choking everyone, including Ash's Pikachu.

"What's going on?" Kyon wondered, as he fainted.

"I think it's the SSS's Weezing," Kanade replied just before she fainted from the SmokeScreen.

"SS. . . . . . " The voices of Ash and Brendan trailed off has the two also fainted.

When the eleven were completely knocked out from the SmokeScreen, including Chili and Cress, Yuri and the SSS emerged from the smoke as they approached them.

"It's all according to plan," Yuri concluded as the members of the SSS carried Ash, his Pikachu, Brendan, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Kanade, and the five members of the SOS Brigade into the pickup truck, still fainted from the SmokeScreen.

When Haruhi was carried last by Yuri, Otonashi asked, referring to Chili and Cress, "Yurippe, what about those two guys?"

"Leave them here. They're not a part of our plan. Operation start!"

Yuri and Otonashi went back to the pickup as it drove away.

**To be continued. . . . . **

On the next chapter:

Yuri Nakamura's plan to seek revenge has been perfectly executed. Will Brendan, Ash, his friends, and his allies from the SOS Brigade stop her from messing with Haruhi Suzumiya? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References:_

_Death Note_

_The World God Only Knows_


	14. Tournament Arc Part VII

_Author's note: This is going to be a long chapter. Think how many words are there in this one. And the shoutouts as well._

* * *

**_Chapter 14_**

**_Tournament Arc VII - Denouement  
_**

**A few hours later. . . . . . .**

Ash, Dawn, Iris, Axew, Cilan, Kyon, Mikuru, Brendan, Itsuki, Kanade, and Yuki all wake up, only to find themselves in an abandoned warehouse, wrapped up in futons suspended by ropes each tied to a beam on a rooftop. Ash's Pikachu was also tied up, wrapped in a smaller futon next to Ash.

"That was an unfamiliar ceiling. . . . . . . . . " Kyon muttered. When he looked down, he said, "What just happened?"

"We're all wrapped in futons, that's for sure," Cilan replied.

Mikuru looks down, screaming, "Kyon, I'm scared!"

"Miss Asahina, it's best if you shouldn't look down," replied Kyon.

In all of a sudden, Yuri and the SSS entered the warehouse entrance.

Yuri made an evil laugh and said, "Welcome to the velvet room."

"But it obviously isn't a velvet room," Kyon replied, "What are you, Igor's assistant?"

Yuri then coughed and said, "In that case, welcome to the herd!"

"Just when did you quote a certain meme from some certain show about magical ponies?" Brendan wondered.

"I was trying to think of an introductory speech," Yuri said.

She then asked a question, "Oh, do you know what happens when people get killed?"

"They can still live?" Ash replied.

"They die, you idiot! People die when they are killed!" Yuri yelled, "That's how my siblings were all dead!"

"Where is Suzumiya?" Kyon yelled.

"Oh, I don't know . . . . "

"I'm trying to be serious here!" exclaimed Kyon, "Where's Haruhi?"

Yuri replied, "If you want to know where she is, she's right with us."

Matsushita brought out Haruhi, who was also wrapped in a futon, still asleep.

"You guys tried to make sure Suzumiya gets eliminated from the tournament, first by letting Haruhi Kamisaka make an alliance with all of you, and then you attempted to bribe Trip to make sure he uses his strongest Pokemon against Haruhi in the finals. You know what they say, fool Haruhi Suzumiya once, shame on you, fool her twice, shame on Haruhi herself, and fool her three times, you're going to get curb-stomped by none other than Haruhi Suzumiya herself!" Kyon said.

She then explained, "Thanks to your friend's reality warping powers, all of us have been trapped in a place called the afterlife. But since then, a certain godlike Pokemon took pity on all of us; it even let us gain back our bodies."

Brendan's reaction was, "You were all back from the afterlife thanks to Arceus? That's impossible!"

"And as a result, we got ourselves a new job and mission; defeating all of you as well as Haruhi Suzumiya," Yuri explained.

"Yeah, I don't think that will happen. Haruhi will once again beat you single-handedly in a Pokemon battle and then proceed to battle with Alder faster than you can say 'Okay, thanks'," Brendan replied.

The latter said, "You're all stubborn kitties, do you?"

"Intel reports says that Haruhi is the one true God, that's why Yurippe is attempting to seek revenge against her for making her life miserable," Takeyama added.

"What!?" Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, and Brendan yelled.

Yuri said, "It's true. The SSS have finally saw way to seek revenge against the heavens. So from now on, we simply have to believe that Haruhi Suzumiya is the one cause for all the cruel fates we suffered in life."

"Haruhi isn't the reason why you were all sent to limbo," Kyon replied.

"She will be," Yuri said.

Iris responded, "You and your cohorts are nothing but a bunch of fools who think that Haruhi is a certain deity who became responsible for all of the cruel fates every single one of you suffered in life. No wonder you look ironically like her, Yuri."

"We'll see how this will all happen when we defeat you and I'll take control of Haruhi Suzumiya's body," said Yuri. She and the members of the SSS then made an evil laugh.

"You will never get away with this!" Ash yelled as he thrashed and tried to fish out his pocket for his Poke Balls.

"Oh, by the way. If you want to know, the SSS has just recruited a certain girl named Ryoko Asakura. She says she wants to kill you, Kyon," Yuri added.

Kyon gasped and thought, "What? Don't tell me they hired Miss Asakura!"

"Kanade, thank you for convincing me to believe that Haruhi Suzumiya isn't the one true God," Yuri added, "Because the time comes when she will be."

"Kyon already told you, Haruhi and her powers didn't do anything!" Ash yelled.

"Whatever. I hope one of you will do cordless bungee jumping once one of the ropes will get cut off!" Yuri said as she and the SSS left off, riding on a pickup truck.

When Yuri was gone, Ash said, "So I guess everyone knows what's going on. Yuri wanted to defeat Haruhi just for revenge."

"I don't want that girl to get in Haruhi's way for kidnapping us!" Iris yelled.

Meloetta showed its presence. It was shocked after noticing Ash and the gang already tied up.

"Meloetta, find someone who can help us!" said Ash. The Melody Pokemon nodded and left off.

"By the way, who's Miss Asakura?" asked Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan in unison.

Kyon replied, "A friend of Miss Nagato. She tried to kill me one night when all of you were asleep in Cynthia's villa."

"What happened to you when she showed up?" asked Cilan.

"She let her Reuniclus use Telekinesis on me in the air just to kill me."

With a stoic look on her face, Kanade said, "I'm sorry. I never expected this to happen, you know, what happened in the restaurant. "

Kyon replied, "It wasn't your fault. Besides, we all didn't see that one coming."

Kanade explained, "The truth is, Yuri Nakamura is the leader of a certain organization called the SSS. Their objective is to seek revenge against God for all the tragic fates they have suffered in life."

"So that explains why Kyon assumed that Yuri was believing all along that Haruhi was the God that they are looking for," Brendan concluded, "Are they after you as well?"

Kanade replied, "As you can see, the one God that the SSS are looking for is nowhere to be seen, not even taking on a human form. When they found out that they were looking after Haruhi, I tried to prove Yurippe that Haruhi is not the deity they were looking for, but she refused to believe me and said no. As a result, they went back to their old ways and decided to take me out as well."

"Yuri's nickname is Yurippe?" asked Brendan.

"Yes," replied Kanade.

Kyon exasperated and thought to himself, "That's what happens when Koizumi thinks that Suzumiya has powers that are at a deity's level. People would then believe that it's true even if it isn't."

Koizumi smiled and said, "It was only a theory."

As Brendan tried to swing himself in order to cut off the rope secured to him, suddenly a familiar voice was heard.

"Reuniclus, use Psychic!"

A certain Reuniclus used Psychic to untie all the ropes, causing Ash, his Pikachu, Mikuru, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Itsuki, Brendan, Kanade, Kyon, Yuki, and the still-sleepy Haruhi to fall down.

"Now, Reuniclus use Telekinesis!"

In all of a sudden, the twelve were all floating, lifted to safety by Reuniclus's Telekinesis.

As it turned out, the one who did it was none other than. . . . .

"Miss Asakura?" Kyon wondered. He then turned to Yuki and said, "I thought you rewrote her data so that she moves to Johto. But how come she's still here?"

"Hey, Kyon. Knife."

Kyon exclaimed, "Don't. . . . . . . !"

When Asakura threw out her knife, it slashed on all of the futons, freeing the nine at the same time.

Kyon whispered to Ash, pointing to Ryoko, "Tell your Pikachu to use Thunderbolt."

Ash replied, "But why?"

"Just do it now."

Ash said, "Quick, Pikachu. Use Thunderbolt!"

As a result, Ryoko was screaming as she gets a shock of Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

When Brendan sent out Electivire, Brendan muttered, "Use Psychic, level one."

"Level what?"

Ryoko was then levitated high up in the air.

"But how come?" Ryoko wondered.

"Actually, it's not a surprise to know that Electivire can use Psychic," stated Brendan.

"Listen up, Miss Asakura. Just when did you decide to side with us?" Kyon asked.

"I didn't mean to do anything to you today unlike the last time we met," Ryoko replied, crossing her fingers.

"Now, what's your intention of trying to save us, then?"

"I just wanted to do this to all of you so that all of you can stop Miss Nakamura and her wrongdoings against Miss Suzumiya. Not to mention, a certain Pokemon with green hair tried to lure me all the way here using her song."

"Meloetta?" Ash, Iris, Dawn, and Cilan wondered.

"Was that Pokemon called a Meloetta?" Ryoko asked curiously.

"Yes, Miss Asakura," Kyon answered.

He then asked Yuki, "Miss Nagato, how come Miss Asakura was here? I thought you rewrote her data so that she goes off somewhere."

Yuki never said a word.

"Liar," muttered Kyon.

"Now, should we all do a truce?" Ryoko asked the nine.

Kyon sighed and said, "Alright, truce, but for only one condition."

"What condition?"

Yuki added, "If you break the deal, your data will be re-terminated."

"Ok. It's a deal."

When Ryoko was being lifted down to safety by Electivire's Psychic, the ten made a hi-five. The former then recalled her Reuniclus back to its Poke Ball.

When they all went out of the warehouse, Kyon wondered, "But how can we catch up with Miss Nakamura?"

"These rides," Brendan replied, referring to the yellow and white Vespa scooters parked inside.

"Vespas? Where we're going, we don't need Vespas," Kyon muttered.

"Before we leave, I will lend Yuki a Poke Ball," said Brendan. He then handed it over to Yuki.

"Hey, do you have any Pokemon to lend over to me?" asked Kyon.

"We'll do it later. We don't have enough time to catch up with the SSS."

And so, Brendan, Kyon, and Ash went on the yellow Vespa, while Mikuru, Dawn, and Iris rode on the white one.

Kyon wondered, "I didn't know Miss Asahina could operate a scooter."

Mikuru winked as she throttled off.

"What about the five of you?" Ash asked, referring to Yuki, Itsuki, Kanade, Cilan, and Ryoko.

"I can drive," Ryoko replied. She then pointed to a Humvee parked inside the warehouse.

"Then what about Haruhi? We can't just leave her behind!" added Kyon.

Itsuki replied, "You should escort Miss Suzumiya before she wakes up any minute."

"What?"

Brendan listened and replied, "Itsuki doesn't want you and Haruhi to suffer from full life consequences!"

Kyon sighed as he went back to the warehouse to carry the sleeping Haruhi on his arms.

He then placed her on the Humvee to be maneuvered by Ryoko.

While she drived off along with Itsuki, and the others, Brendan and Mikuru throttled off.

When the three vehicles were on a T-junction, Ryoko, Brendan, and Mikuru pulled the brakes.

"Why are we all stopping?" Kyon asked Brendan.

When they noticed the pickup truck that Yuri and the SSS were riding on get past them, Ash said, "I think it's those guys. We must catch up after them!"

And so, Brendan and Mikuru throttled off to make a beeline after the pickup truck while Ryoko followed suit, driving the Humvee in the same direction.

"Ugh. . . . . it's them again. They escaped!" Yuri said as she looked at the car's side mirror and exclaimed, "Do something to fend them off!"

"We are right on it," responded Naoi Ayato, as he sent out a Swoobat.

"Use Air Cutter!"

Brendan sent out a Skarmory and said, "Skarmory, use Protect!"

Just before Air Cutter could hit, it was blocked by Skarmory's Protect.

"Skarmory, use Spikes!"

Skarmory flew in front of the pickup, spurting out caltrops that popped out all of its tires.

"Ugh. We must leave!" Yuri yelled, as everyone disembarked from the pickup.

Summoning a Mandibuzz, Yuri attempted to escape by flying away on its back, leaving the rest of the SSS members behind.

"She's getting away!" Kyon yelled.

"Don't worry. Ash, Kanade, and I will deal with her. You and Yuki will team up with Iris and Cilan to battle with Yuri's henchmen using the Pokemon I lent to you," Brendan replied to Kyon as he and Ash throttled off.

"I don't think you haven't lent me a Poke Ball," said Kyon.

Brendan stopped the Vespa and replied, "Shut up and take my Poke Ball!"

Brendan threw a Poke Ball at Kyon, resulting in the latter to catch it. He then throttled away along with Ash and Kanade.

"Did Brendan just watch an episode of Futurama or something?" thought Kyon.

Mikuru and Itsuki decided to stay in the Humvee as they watched Kyon and Yuki battle it out.

Ash, Kanade and Brendan followed Yuri Nakamura as they found her riding on her Mandibuzz on top of a rope bridge in a gushing river.

When she crossed to the other side of the river, she noticed Brendan, Ash, and Kanade on a Vespa, catching up to her.

"Mandibuzz, use Air Slash!"

When Yuri came on the other side of the bridge, her Mandibuzz destroyed the rope bridge using Air Slash.

"Now what?"

"What's it, Ash?"

"She destroyed the rope bridge. How can we get across?" Ash asked Brendan.

"It's not possible for us to catch up to her if we don't do something," Brendan said in a worried mood, as he sent out Electivire again.

"Use Psychic!"

Electivire used Psychic to lift itself, Brendan, Ash, Kanade, and the Vespa to the other side of the river.

"Electivire, return."

Brendan recalled Electivire back to it's Poke Ball.

"Now, we must continue looking for Yuri before she goes away with it!" Brendan said as he throttled off with Ash.

Yuri Nakamura runs into a fork in the road. The trio followed after her, but when they ran into the same fork in the road, Ash wondered, "How can we be able to find Yuri?"

Brendan sent out Hydreigon. "Hydreigon, go and look for Mandibuzz."

The Brutal Pokemon flew away to look for Yuri and her Mandibuzz and eventually came back to inform him.

Brendan then accelerated the Vespa and headed left.

Meanwhile, Kyon, and the rest of the others are struggling as their respective Pokemon were shown to be knocked away.

"We cannot give up!" Kyon yelled, "Eelektross, use Thunderbolt!"

"Alakazam, use Focus Blast," Yuki instructed.

"Reuniclus, use Telekinesis," said Ryoko.

"Piplup, Bubblebeam!"

Naoi's Swoobat used Gust to blind all their opponent's Pokemon before they could attack.

Cilan yelled, "Crustle, use Rock Wrecker on Swoobat!"

Swoobat was knocked out in just one hit.

"Conkeldurr, use Stone Edge on Reuniclus!"

Takamatsu's Conkeldurr attempts to hit Ryoko's Reuniclus with its attack.

"Use Psychic."

Just before Stone Edge could hit Reuniclus, it was stopped by Alakazam's Psychic, sending it flying back to Conkeldurr.

"Thanks, Miss Nagato!" Ryoko said as Yuki never said a word.

"Reuniclus, Telekinesis!"

Ryoko's Reuniclus levitated Matsushita's Throh high up in the air using Telekinesis.

"It's your turn, Miss Nagato!" said Ryoko.

"Use Focus Blast."

Throh was left to be knocked out by Focus Blast as it was already under the effects of Telekinesis.

"Samurott, Hydro Cannon!"

"Conkeldurr, Stone Edge!"

"Togekiss, Aura Sphere!"

"Axew, Dragon Rage!"

"Crustle, Rock Wrecker!"

The combination of Aura Sphere, Dragon Rage, and Rock Wrecker pierced through Stone Edge and Hydro Cannon, which resulted in Takamatsu's Conkeldurr and Fujimaki's Samurott being knocked out.

With all their Pokemon knocked out, the SSS members attempted to retreat. However, they were all levitated in the air by the combination of Reuniclus's Telekinesis and Alakazam's Psychic.

Meanwhile, Brendan, Kanade, and Ash were still riding on the Vespa, catching up after Yuri Nakamura and her Mandibuzz.

Yuri was surprised when she was being pursued by the three as they found her.

"How did you three find me all the way here?" Yuri asked as she gasped in shock.

Brendan replied, "Hydreigon." That was when the Brutal Pokemon showed up, surprising Yuri.

"Yuri, give it up!" Ash yelled.

"Kanade is here to convince you to stop believing in what's not true!" Brendan added.

"Dream on! No matter how you three will try to stop me, I still believe that Haruhi was responsible for letting me suffer a terrible fate!" Yuri replied, as she sent out Chandelure and Vanilluxe.

"Pikachu, do you wanna battle?" Ash asked to Pikachu. The latter responded with a nod.

Brendan sent out Infernape, while Kanade sent out Bisharp.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Mandibuzz!"

"Infernape, Flamethrower on Vanilluxe!"

"Bisharp, Night Slash."

"Vanilluxe and Mandibuzz, Protect!"

The combined effects of Vanilluxe and Mandibuzz's Protect blocked all the attacks of Bisharp, Pikachu, and Infernape.

"Infernape, use Feint!"

"Chandelure, block it using Psychic!"

Infernape attempts to penetrate through Protect using Feint. But it was stopped by Chandelure's Psychic.

"Bisharp, Night Slash."

Just before Chandelure could use its attack on Brendan's Infernape, it was hit by Bisharp's Night Slash for effective damage.

"I don't care if I lose to you three," Yuri said, "Vanilluxe, Ice Beam on Pikachu."

"Intercept it with Thunderbolt!"

Vanilluxe's Ice Beam and Pikachu's Thunderbolt both clashed, creating an explosion.

"Mandibuzz, use Bone Rush on Bisharp."

"Bisharp, intercept it with Night Slash."

Kanade's Bisharp clashed attacks with Mandibuzz, clearing the smoke.

"Chandelure, Psychic on Infernape!"

Infernape was badly hit by Psychic as it was being lifted high up in the air and sent down crashing.

"Infernape, get up!" Brendan yelled.

"Mandibuzz, finish Infernape with Brave Bird!"

"Bisharp, intercept with Iron Head."

Both Brave Bird and Iron Head clashed as it created yet another explosion.

But Bisharp's Iron Head proved to be too much for Mandibuzz. It was worsened by recoil damage caused by Brave Bird.

"Thanks, Kanade!" Brendan said.

"That was a bad move your Mandibuzz just did," Kanade said to Yuri.

The latter replied, "It won't matter if Mandibuzz will take Brave Bird recoil. Mandibuzz, Bone Rush on Bisharp!"

"Infernape, Thunderpunch!"

Brendan's Infernape, still able to get up, hits Mandibuzz with Thunderpunch, knocking it out before it could do anything at Kanade's Bisharp.

"One down, two to go," Ash said.

"Wrong, Ash. Chandelure, use Fire Blast on Bisharp!"

"Bisharp, dodge it."

Unfortunately, Bisharp was roasted by Fire Blast and was also knocked out.

"Looks like this is the end for you," Yuri replied to Kanade, as the latter recalled Bisharp and ended up watching the rest of the battle.

"But not for us! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Vanilluxe, intercept it with Mirror Coat!"

Pikachu's Thunderbolt attempts to hit Chandelure, but it was bounced back by Vanilluxe's Mirror Coat.

Ash then gritted his teeth.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch on Vanilluxe!"

"Chandelure, intercept it with Psychic!"

Just before Infernape was able to touch Vanilluxe with Mach Punch, it was stopped by Chandelure's Psychic and is sent back knocked away.

"Infernape, get up!" Brendan yelled.

"Oh please, that won't happen. Vanilluxe, Ice Beam!"

"Pikachu, counter Ice Beam with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu's Iron Tail was frozen by Ice Beam, but it was still able to hit Vanilluxe anyway.

"Chandelure, Shadow Ball!"

Just before Chandelure could fire its attack, Infernape was glowing in red aura, indicating that it activated its ability, Blaze.

"Hey, that was Infernape's Blaze!" Ash said.

Yuri replied, "How did that kid just find out that it was Blaze?"

"Of course! I used to have an Infernape with me back in Sinnoh," Ash replied, recalling back to his past adventures.

Brendan said, "You know what that means. Looks like it's time for 'Flame Haze' mode!"

Yuri wondered, "Flame Haze mode?"

"Yes, you'll eventually get the hang of it," Brendan replied, "Infernape, use Swords Dance!"

A flaming sword suddenly appeared in Infernape's palms and suddenly vanished, causing its fists to grow larger than usual.

"Chandelure, Shadow Ball on Infernape!"

"Infernape, Fire Punch on Vanilluxe!"

"Quick, Pikachu. Use Thunderbolt!"

"Vanilluxe, Mirror Coat!"

Chandelure fires four Shadow Balls at once, but they all get intercepted by Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

On the other hand, Vanilluxe attempts to block Infernape's Fire Punch using Mirror Coat, but it obviously failed. As a result, it ended up getting hit.

"Infernape hitting Vanilluxe whilst it's using Mirror Coat? That's impossible!" When Yuri said those words, she was surprised.

Brendan replied, "You're forgetting that Mirror Coat only works with Special moves. That's why Fire Punch hit it physically."

Yuri gasped in shock.

"You already know what to do, Ash."

Ash replied to Brendan, "You bet I am."

Suddenly, Ash and Brendan both yelled, "These moves of Pikachu and Infernape glow with an awesome power! Their powerful grip tells them to defeat your Pokemon! Take this, their love, their anger, and all of their sorrows!"

"Shining Thunderbolt!"

"Shining Close Combat!"

"Vanilluxe, use Sheer Cold! Chandelure, use Shadow Ball!"

Using the Counter Shield technique Pikachu used back in Sinnoh, it repelled Shadow Ball with Thunderbolt, sending it back at Chandelure. As a result, the Luring Pokemon fell and was defeated.

But Vanilluxe dodged, firing Sheer Cold at Brendan's Infernape.

However, Infernape dodged the attack and managed to retaliate at Vanilluxe with a barrage of repeated rapid fire punches.

"Wasn't that an All-Out Attack?" Brendan asked Ash, referring to Pikachu's Counter Shield.

Ash replied, "Actually, that's called Counter Shield. I developed it for Pikachu way back in Sinnoh."

This caused Yuri to tremble with fear and mutter, "That can't be!"

"Your Vanilluxe is already dead, literally," Brendan said, as Vanilluxe eventually fell and fainted.

"How did you know that?" Yuri asked.

"Simple. Close Combat is related to the Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ke-"

Yuri interrupted, angrily muttering, "You and Ash are probably watching too much anime." She then recalled Vanilluxe and Chandelure back to their Poke Balls.

"Now that you lost the game, prepare to be befriended. By the three of us," Ash said, as he, Brendan, and Kanade confronted and cornered Yuri.

"Just like in Nanoha, huh?" Yuri angrily replied, "Forget it. I won't be befriended by the three of you no matter what."

Brendan responded, muttering, "Shall we. . . . . cool your head a little?"

"I don't care if I'm going to be befriended by the three of you!" Yuri yelled as she tried to make her escape by stealing the yellow Vespa.

She then throttled away and thought, "I must run away, I must run away, I must run away!"

"Yuri's getting away!" Ash yelled.

"You fools! You three will always remember this as the day you almost caught Yuri Naka-"

Just before Yuri could finish her phrase, she noticed a cranky Haruhi Suzumiya, who showed up in her way, carrying a fire extinguisher.

"Pull the brakes!" Haruhi exclaimed, as Yuri was forced to halt the Vespa.

"Oh, it's Haruhi. Would you like to be part of us?" Yuri convinced.

"What are you talking about?" Haruhi asked.

"If you become a member of the SSS, you will be given a free lifetime membership," Yuri replied.

"Lifetime membership?"

"Yes," Yuri replied as she brought out a paper indicating a contract, "And if you want to obtain it, you must make a contract with me and-"

"From what you just did to me, I refuse to make a contract with you and become a magical girl! _Tiro Finale!_" yelled the still-cranky Haruhi Suzumiya as she aimed the nozzle.

She then discharged the fire extinguisher at Yuri Nakamura as the latter is ejected by the force of the impact.

She is then knocked back in front of Ash, Brendan, and Kanade.

"If that's what you want. . . . . . . . " Yuri said in a dizzy tone as she fainted.

"I wonder why did Haruhi just show up in all of a sudden," Brendan curiously thought.

"Did someone wake her up?" Ash asked.

Suddenly, Haruhi fell asleep into a deep slumber.

"What can we do?" Ash asked Brendan.

Fortunately, the Humvee arrived, with Ryoko Asakura disembarking from the car.

"Ryoko, it's a good thing you drove the car all the way here. Can you escort Haruhi back to the Pokemon Center?"

"Sure, no problem," Ryoko replied as she fetched the sleeping Haruhi into the Humvee and drove away. Morning struck.

Back in the spot where the pickup truck just stopped moving due to flat tires, Yuri and each of the members of the SSS were all wrapped in futons.

"You're totally in despair, Yuri! The fact that your plan to make vengeance against God has failed has put all of us in despair!" Otonashi exclaimed.

She shed a tear and sobbed, "Alright, I give up! I was only doing this because I thought that the one God who made my life miserable was Haruhi! No wonder Kyon ended up guessing it right about my failed attempts to eliminate her from the Junior Cup!"

Kyon asked, "Tell me, what's the reason why did you do this to us?"

Yuri frowned and replied, "As you can see, I am still saddened about how my siblings were dead."

She showed a picture of her siblings to them.

"So they are your siblings?" Ash, Mikuru, and Cilan asked Yuri.

"Yes. They were all killed when thugs ambushed our house one night."

Yuri then added, "One day, our resident hacker, Takeyama-"

Takeyama interrupted, yelling, "Call me Christ!"

Yuri continued her speech, saying, "Ok, one day, our resident hacker informed us that the God that we have been seeking revenge against is here in Lacunosa Town in the form of a schoolgirl."

"And, what happened next?" Kyon asked.

"That's when I attempted to make my revenge," Yuri added as she shed more tears from both of her eyes like as if they were waterfalls, "Unfortunately, that was when little did I realize that it was all just a lie, stating that Haruhi isn't the deity that was responsible for letting us suffer a terrible fate.

"The truth is. . . . . . ," said Kanade, "Haruhi is truly not the one God that became the cause of your cruel life. Apparently, God is nowhere to be seen."

"What have I done?" screamed Yuri.

"Don't worry about your siblings. Even though they are already gone and cannot be replaced, you have a lot of friends with you."

Yuri glanced at Otonashi, Kanade, Naoi, and the rest of the members of the SSS.

"Now, like what Melvin just said, would you give Kanade a hug?" Brendan convinced calmly as Yuri and the members of the SSS were being untied by Ash and his friends.

Yuri asked, shedding a tear, "Does it involve being turned into Tang?"

"Well, you're just exaggerating it," Brendan replied.

She ended up giving Kanade a glomp.

Otonashi did the same to Kyon, except that the latter was not amused about how Otonashi glomped him.

The rest of the SSS members also glomped at Ash, his friends, Brendan, and the other three members of the SOS Brigade.

"Yuri, you must also express your atonement to Haruhi for what you did to her," Cilan added.

In the Pokemon Center, Yuri entered the room where Haruhi was, noticing her still sleeping in bed.

Suddenly, she woke up and noticed Yuri, saying, "It's you again. But why are you here, Yuri?"

"I just wanted to congratulate you for tying with Trip in the Junior Cup."

"All I can remember is that you look a lot like me," said Haruhi.

"No, not anymore," Yuri replied, "I adjusted my personal appearance to look like Yukiko Amagi just for this special occasion." She then gave Haruhi some flowers.

"Why thank you, Yuri."

And so, the moral of the story was, stop jumping to conclusions because that's not what happened.

. . . . . . . Or maybe Yurippe was right about Haruhi and her god-like powers being the cause of her miserable life. However, she is happy that even though her siblings are already long gone, she is still proud of the fact that Ash, Dawn, Brendan, Cilan, Iris, and the five members of the SOS Brigade became her newest family of friends that made her life so enjoyable.

**To be continued. . . . . . .**

On the next chapter:

Now that everything is resolved, Haruhi is now ready alongside Trip in their match with the champion of the Unova region, Alder. Will the two win it? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References: See the author's note below for the explanation of some of the references._

_Neon Genesis Evangelion_

_Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko_

_The Annoying Orange_

_Persona 3_

_Persona 4_

_My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_

_Fate/stay night_

_Half Life Full Life Consequences_

_Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series_

_Dragon Ball Abridged_

_FLCL_

_Futurama _

_Shakugan no Shana_

_Mobile Fighter G Gundam_

_Fist of the North Star_

_Pirates of the Caribbean_

_Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha_

_Puella Magi Madoka Magica_

_Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei_

_Author's notes #2:_

_There are three Evangelion references in this chapter. Anyone who guesses where they are located correctly will get a cookie. Hint: One of them is a reference to a certain meme spawned in End of Evangelion._

_The gang being wrapped up in futons at the beginning of the chapter mirrors that of Erio Touwa, a character in Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko who is commonly seen being wrapped up in a futon._

_One portion of this chapter nearly paraphrases the dialogue of one scene in the 47th episode of Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series._


	15. Tournament Arc Part VIII

_Author's note: This took a long while for me to finish due to examinations. Yes, t__his is the last chapter of the Tournament Arc, highly based on Best Wishes episode 93. And it's going to be a long one, so enjoy reading. . . . . . . _

* * *

**_Chapter 15_**

**_Tournament Arc VIII - Defeat Means Friendship_**

**The next morning:**

Brendan, Ash, his friends, and the five members of the SOS Brigade are asleep in the room that they were all resting in.

Nurse Joy and her Audino both showed up, attempting to make a wake up call just by waking them all up.

When Kyon got up from bed, he tried to wake up Haruhi.

"Today is the big day. Come on and get up."

Suddenly, Haruhi got up, still being energetic as before.

"Today, the SOS Brigade will be one step ahead as Trip and I face off against Alder in a special match. Hey Kyon, cheer for me, okay?"

When she noticed Kyon looking at Mikuru, who was still being waken up by Nurse Joy's Audino, she yelled, "Kyon, aren't you listening?"

After breakfast, the ten set off to the stadium.

"And now, today is the big day of the special double battle between Trip and Haruhi, the two winners of the Junior Cup, and Alder, the Champion of the Unova region!" O'Martian announced.

Trip thought, referring to Alder, "The time has come for all the differences to be settled."

He then set off to the battlefield.

Brendan handed Haruhi a Poke Ball before she left out to the battlefield, saying, "Once again, I'll hand you over Electivire. It's already healed at the Pokemon Center, and it's still got the same moves as before."

"Kyon, Mikuru, Itsuki, you three cheer for me, alright?" Haruhi yelled as she went off to battle alongside Trip.

"Let the battle begin!" the referee announced.

"Serperior, go!" Once again, Trip sent out his Serperior.

"Go, Electivire!" Haruhi brought out Brendan's Electivire.

"Bouffalant and Volcarona, go!" Alder sent out a Bouffalant and Volcarona.

"Who are those two Pokemon?" Kyon, Dawn, and Mikuru wondered, referring to Alder's Bouffalant and Volcarona.

Dawn checked on her Pokedex and scanned it on Bouffalant. It said, "Bouffalant, the Bash Buffalo Pokemon. Their headbutts are destructive and powerful enough to derail a train."

"So that's called a Bouffalant?" Kyon wondered.

When she checked on Alder's Volcarona, it said, "Volcarona, the Sun Pokemon and the evolved form of Larvesta. When the atmosphere was blocked by volcanic ash, Volcarona is said to have taken place of the sun."

"Aren't Pokemon battles supposed to be single battles?" asked Kyon.

Itsuki replied, "There are also other forms of Pokemon battling, like double battles and triple battles. In this case, this is called a double battle."

"Serperior, use SolarBeam on Bouffalant!"

"Electivire, use ThunderPunch!"

Using the power of the sun, Serperior charged SolarBeam, firing it at Alder's Bouffalant.

On the other hand, Electivire aimed ThunderPunch at Volcarona. But it was avoided.

When Alder's Bouffalant appeared to have taken damage, Trip thought, "Just as planned."

Iris and Ash thought, "Why did Alder have to let his Bouffalant have to take the hit?"

"And it looks like Bouffalant hasn't taken any damage!" O'Martian exclaimed, "On the other hand, it looks like Volcarona managed to dodge Electivire's attack!"

"I knew it all along that Bouffalant has Sap Sipper," Trip said to Alder.

"What's Sap Sipper?" Dawn wondered.

Cilan replied, "Sap Sipper is an ability that enables a Pokemon to be immune to Grass-type moves like SolarBeam. In turn, it raises Bouffalant's attack. Now with that advantage, Bouffalant is unmatched in terms of power. Trip let Serperior fire SolarBeam just to invoke Bouffalant's ability."

Haruhi yelled, "Do we have to finish the battle or what?"

"I'm trying to convince Alder how strong my Pokemon really are!" replied an angry Trip.

Alder replied, "If you want to prove how strong your Pokemon became, then do it. Your tag partner Haruhi is waiting for you to make a move."

"Serperior, use Dragon Tail on Bouffalant!"

"Electivire, use Psychic on Volcarona!"

"Volcarona, use Protect!"

Volcarona's Protect blocked Electivire's Psychic from floating it up in the air. Meanwhile, Bouffalant didn't have to dodge. Instead, it only managed to absorb the impact of the Dragon Tail.

"Now use Leer on Volcarona!"

Serperior's Leer caused Volcarona to be intimidated.

"Alder's Volcarona is intimidated by Serperior's Leer, causing its Defense to be lowered!" O'Martian yelled at the microphone.

"Electivire, ThunderPunch on Bouffalant!"

Once again, Bouffalant didn't have to dodge. It rather had to absorb the impact from ThunderPunch.

"Serperior, use Dragon Tail!"

"Volcarona, use Quiver Dance!"

"Electivire, use Thunderpunch!"

Trip thought, "Serperior should be able to attack again. However, Bouffalant's Sap Sipper will capture the attention of everyone. And not to mention, Dragon Tail isn't doing a thing against it. If Serperior should attack from above, what I mean. . . . . . if only I should've found a weak spot in Bouffalant. . . . . . "

"I'm suspecting that this is Bouffalant's weak spot!" exclaimed Trip.

When Alder's Bouffalant got hit from below, it flipped high up in the air. Fortunately, it landed safely when it touched the ground.

On the other hand Volcarona spun itself around as it glowed, suddenly accumulating some speed, dodging Electivire's Thunderpunch.

"That can't be right!" Trip exclaimed, gasping in shock.

"You are only caring about yourself, but not with your tag partner," Alder replied to Trip, "Serperior inflicted decent damage on a Normal-type. However, you must remember that I'm the Champion!"

Trip became surprised from the look on his face.

"Trip, aren't we going to do this together or what!?" exclaimed Haruhi.

"Bouffalant, use Head Charge!"

"Serperior, dodge it!"

Serperior was helpless, and as a result, it got knocked out from Bouffalant's Head Charge.

"Serperior is unable to battle. Bouffalant wins!" the referee announced.

"And it looks like Haruhi is left to be battling with Alder and his two Pokemon!" O'Martian announced.

"Looks like it's down to me and me alone," thought Haruhi, "Two is better than one, but I don't care. I'm just going to defeat the Champion no matter what!"

"Now, Haruhi. Show me how skilled you really are," convinced Alder.

"Electivire, use ThunderPunch!"

Bouffalant's afro managed to cushion the attack with no trouble at all.

"Volcarona, use Fire Blast!"

"Dodge it!"

Electivire avoided Volcarona's Fire Blast by jumping in midair.

"Now use ThunderPunch again!"

Electivire hit Volcarona with a ThunderPunch, paralyzing it. However, Flame Body was activated, causing Electivire to inflict a burn.

"And it looks like Alder's Volcarona displays its Flame Body ability, causing Electivire to inflict burn damage!" O'Martian exclaimed on the microphone.

"Hey, that's the same ability that the other Haruhi's Magmortar just activated!" Kyon exclaimed at Iris.

"Yes, you're correct," Iris replied, "I'm predicting that Haruhi could have a hard time winning the match if Electivire becomes physically weak because of the burn damage."

"Please, Haruhi. Don't be causing a lot of trouble if you lose," Kyon thought.

"Bouffalant, Head Charge!"

"Dodge it!"

Bouffalant's Head Charge was avoided, causing it to stop. However, Volcarona managed to stop Electivire.

"Electivire, use Psychic!"

"Volcarona, use Double Team!"

Psychic was avoided as Volcarona used Double Team to make multiple clones of itself all around the battlefield.

"What are those Volcarona clones for?" asked Kyon.

Yuki replied, "It is a move called Double Team. Double Team manipulates the increase of evasion data at 100%."

"You mean that the move itself can cause a Pokemon to avoid certain attacks?"

"Yes."

Kyon facepalmed and muttered, "This can be a surprise if the opponent can avoid all of your moves."

"Volcarona, use Fire Blast!"

"Bouffalant, Head Charge!"

"Electivire, dodge both of them!"

Electivire dodged Head Charge, but it got hit by Fire Blast. It was then knocked away.

"Electivire, get up!" Haruhi yelled.

"Bouffalant, finish it off with another Head Charge!"

Just before Electivire could get up, it was rammed by Bouffalant's Head Charge. It was later knocked out, much to Haruhi's dismay.

"Electivire is unable to battle. Bouffalant wins, and the victor goes to the Champion of the Unova region, Alder!" the referee announced.

"And Electivire is down after a Head Charge!" O'Martian announced on the microphone, "Haruhi and Trip were both attempting their Pokemon to use up all their strength against the Champion's Pokemon!"

Haruhi and Trip were both unfazed.

"Alder's battling style is somehow different when compared to Cynthia's," Dawn said.

Yuri Nakamura went to the stadium to watch Haruhi's battle. When she watched Haruhi lose to Alder, she muttered, "Clever girl." Despite having a disappointed look in her face, she continued to watch without hesitation.

Alder patted Bouffalant and Volcarona as a result of their victories. When Bouffalant approached to lick its Trainer, he replied, laughing, "Oh, stop that!"

"It looks like Alder is having fun," said Itsuki and Iris.

"It's Haruhi and Trip!" Ash and Kyon both said.

Haruhi and Trip both approached Alder along with Electivire and Serperior, respectively.

"What went wrong in my battle? I failed to do my best," said Trip.

"Me too," replied Haruhi.

"I don't think something went wrong with both of you," replied Alder.

"But Trip and I lost to you," said Haruhi, "I was this close to winning the match alongside Trip."

Trip added, "I failed to prove to you my true skills and power."

"Let me guess," Alder said to Trip, "Did you seem to expect response from me, showing that you are interested in me? Apparently, I can presume that your tag partner did the same thing too."

This left Trip and Haruhi surprised.

"It is pretty clear that both of you and your Pokemon decided to win or lose, no matter how many strengths or weaknesses are there in your side," said Alder, "There is no true answer yet. On the bright side, you and your tag partner have managed to reach this checkpoint of your adventure."

He looked at Haruhi and added, "Haruhi, there is more to being the best than just winning. You will learn a lot of stuff from losing."

"It is?"

"Yes, that's right," answered Alder, "Even though you and your tag partner lost out, both of you did your very all."

"Isn't winning supposed to be everything?" asked Haruhi.

Alder replied, "No, Haruhi. It is just a bad perception of people who do not know how to accept defeat."

He looked back at Trip and asked, "Do you show interest to your Pokemon?"

Trip thought to himself.

"That's right, your Pokemon will be trustful to you if you do. That's what I felt during the battle. Mutual relationship with your Pokemon only exists if both trainer and Pokemon are loyal to each other."

When Serperior approached to Trip, Alder added, "Now, are you able to sense their feelings?"

Trip replied, "I think I can."

"I believe that a mutual relationship is important in order to win battles. Whatever you find something that is interesting, it adds up to your journey!" Alder said.

He looked at Haruhi and added, "Now, are you realizing that you are still the best even when you lose?"

After a few minutes, the latter replied, "Yes, I really am!"

"Can I battle you again the next time we meet again?" asked Trip.

"Yes, we will, Tristan," replied Alder.

Trip exasperated and said, "It's Trip."

"Same with me too! I wanna battle you again someday!" exclaimed Haruhi.

"Same with you too, Haruhiko," replied Alder.

Haruhi sweatdropped, saying, "Actually, that's Haruhi."

Kyon thought, "Koizumi, any sign of closed space?"

"Fortunately, there aren't any of them as of now," replied Itsuki, "It is fortunate that Alder's words of wisdom managed to calm down Miss Suzumiya and her subconscious."

Kyon thought, "Good. At least you don't have any work to do."

"So, is Haruhi going to be fine after losing to Alder?" Dawn asked Kyon. The latter failed to respond.

With all the participants of the tournament back on the stage, O'Martian announced, "The Junior Cup Tournament is now officially coming to a close. Best wishes to everyone and take care of yourselves on your journeys!"

Everyone was outside the stadium as the rivals go their separate ways with the gang.

"I wanna know the end results for raising that Dragonite of yours," said Georgia.

Iris replied, "I'm going to look forward to it."

"See you soon. You may have gotten better with Dragonite, but that only means you're going to start from scratch." Georgia then left off.

Meanwhile, Brendan, Doremi Harukaze, and Konata Izumi were having a conversation.

"Konata, what's your next plan?" asked Brendan.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to the Unova League," replied the blue-haired girl.

"What about you, Doremi?"

"Same thing too."

"Well, see you all soon!"

"You too!" The three then parted as Konata caught up with Miyuki, Tsukasa, and Kagami while Doremi went off with Momoko, Aiko, Onpu, and Hazuki.

When Dawn noticed Trip leaving, she muttered, "It's Trip!"

That was when Pikachu approached Trip for Ash to notice him.

"Your battle with Alder is totally awesome!" exclaimed Ash.

"Yes, he is. And it's good to know that I got to battle with him," replied Trip.

"Trip, let's battle again in the Unova League!"

"Sure." Trip then waved his hand and left.

Haruhi was frowning her face a little. That was when Kyon and Brendan went to her.

"Don't worry about that battle," said Kyon, "You'll beat the Champion someday and become one."

Suddenly, Haruhi became in the mood to become motivated.

"Even though our goal to defeat the Champion has failed, we will still be one step away from success!"

"I never expected you to mention that motive of yours to defeat the Champion in the first place," replied Kyon.

Suddenly, Meloetta showed its presence in front of the gang.

Ash asked it, "What do you think of the battles?"

Meloetta jumped for joy. Iris remarked, "It appears Meloetta was having fun."

Suddenly, the Melody Pokemon vanished from sight, leading to Ash wondering what went wrong.

That was when a Trainer with a Riolu rushed by and stopped in front of Ash and his Pikachu.

"Did it end?" asked the Trainer, "Yo, time for the two of us to make friends with all of you!"

Suddenly he noticed Ash's Pikachu and remarked, "Oh, it's a Pikachu! You definitely have a rare Pokemon with you! Looks like it's time to pull out the Pokedex!"

When he attempted to fish out his own Pokedex, he ended up pulling out a remote control. This left Ash, Haruhi, and Cilan wondering.

"That's a remote control that you just pulled out," said Kyon, who, as usual, had a deadpan look in his face.

"Oh, thanks for reminding me that," said the Trainer, as he pulled out the actual Pokedex this time.

The Pokedex scanned on Ash's Pikachu and said, "Pikachu, the Mouse Pokemon and the evolved form of Pichu. It stores electricity in the pouches on its cheeks."

Ash asked the Trainer, "Is it the first time that you've seen a Pikachu?"

"Well, yeah."

Iris and Kyon both asked curiously, "I wonder who's that Pokemon." She was referring to the Trainer's Riolu.

Dawn replied, "That's called a Riolu." She scanned it with her Pokedex and it said, "Riolu, the Emanation Pokemon. It has the unusual capability to sense emotions in the form of waves."

Kyon asked, "So that's called a Riolu, Miss Nagato?"

"Yes," Yuki replied softly.

"So it's called a Riolu. How cute!" When Iris touched both of Riolu's ears, the Trainer grabbed Riolu away from Iris.

"What are you doing to Riolu?" asked the latter.

Iris replied, muttering, "I'm really sorry. . . . " She then moved back.

"It doesn't matter though, and it's nice to meet you. I'm Kotetsu," introduced the Trainer to the gang.

Shaking his hands to Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, and all the five members of the SOS Brigade, Kotetsu added, "It appears all of you went here just early. When did all of you arrive? I was apparently very late."

He then wondered, "I was wondering who among all of you went here first."

This left Kyon confused.

"If you want to come here in the first place, are you planning to participate in the Junior Cup?" asked Cilan as Kotetsu started pulling out his things from his knapsack.

"Yes," replied Kotetsu, as he pulled out a kettle, a stove, and a table, among the other things that he fished out of his knapsack, "Perhaps I should set up camp right here!"

Kyon said, "The truth is, the Junior Cup is already finished."

This left Kotetsu and his Riolu surprised.

"Isn't it supposed to be tomorrow?"

Cilan replied, "As you can see, all of us participants have been provided with each of those." Cilan, Ash, Dawn, Iris, Haruhi, Brendan, Haruhi, and Kyon displayed their keychains to Kotetsu.

"What did all of you just say?" exclaimed Kotetsu in surprise, frowning, "You have got to be kidding me. I'm totally in despair!"

After pulling his headband and releasing it back, he thought, "This gives me an idea!"

"What idea?" asked Cilan and Haruhi.

"Alder is still around, right? On the bright side, I can still get to meet and greet with him!" said Kotetsu as he put back his things into his knapsack.

"I'll see you later," said Kotetsu, "Let's go, Riolu!"

Both Trainer and Pokemon went off to the stadium.

"I wonder what just happened to him," thought Ash and Haruhi.

"Apparently, he must be forgetting the fact that the tournament had just ended earlier," replied Kyon as Meloetta showed itself up.

**That afternoon:**

The gang were now back in Cynthia's villa, thanks to Jeremy escorting them in the same limousine that picked them up to the villa a few days ago.

"It looks like we're back!" exclaimed Ash.

"Welcome back, everyone," said Jeremy, "All of you can take a rest here for tonight."

Suddenly, everyone heard Meloetta singing its song again.

Haruhi remarked, "Meloetta's song is good to hear."

"There has got to be a reason why Meloetta is near the shore, singing," said Iris.

Cilan replied, "Apparently, it lives there."

"It is?" asked Ash.

"I'm going to leave soon," said Dawn.

This left everyone responding to Dawn's phrase.

"Where are you heading for?" asked Iris.

"Back to the Sinnoh region?" added Haruhi.

Dawn replied, "No, I'm heading for the Johto region. Apparently, a certain tournament is coming up."

"Is it the Wallace Cup?" Ash asked.

"Yes, Ash. Do you remember the Wallace Cup that was being held way back in Sinnoh? This time, they're bringing it to the Johto region. I need to prepare my Pokemon along with me for this event."

Kyon and Iris both asked, "What is the Wallace Cup?"

Dawn explained to the two, "It is a special event hosted by Wallace, a well-known Pokemon Coordinator. In fact, what makes it special is that the ribbon for the Wallace Cup can be used at any Grand Festival. I will make use of what happened in the Pokemon Musical as inspiration for my next contest appeal."

Ash concluded, "I see it now. Give it all you've got and be a Top Coordinator!"

Haruhi frowned, saying, "It's saddening to see you leave, Dawn. I'd really wish to know more about Pokemon Contests. I'm so bored not being able to know more about them."

"Pokemon Contests? I don't think there ever has one here in Unova, has it?" Kyon thought to himself.

Dawn replied, "When we'll meet again, I will do a demonstration, okay?"

"So that means you're going to be leaving," said Cilan.

Dawn replied, "However, I will be seeing all of you someday."

Ash said, "Before you leave, why don't we conduct the battle that I promised to you, Dawn?"

"I wanna see Kyon battle again! Let's see if you got the experience as much as I do!" convinced Haruhi.

Kyon deadpanned, muttering to himself, "Why wouldn't you want to pick Koizumi or Miss Asahina?"

"I wanna battle too!" exclaimed Iris.

"Sure, you can battle too," responded Dawn, "Besides, you wanted to battle with me too."

"Kyon, you should comply to what Ash just said," said Haruhi, "I don't want you to disappoint."

"I hope she won't give me yet another penalty when I lose," Kyon thought to himself.

"Meloetta, you should be watching," said Ash.

On the battlefield, Ash, Kyon, Iris, and Dawn were readying themselves on their respective positions.

Haruhi cheered, "Go, Kyon! Do your best for the glory of the SOS Brigade!"

Dawn informed, "This is a two-on-two battle. The winner is determined when both Pokemon on one side are unable to battle."

Ash responded, "So that means, I'm going to send in Pikachu!" The Mouse Pokemon went out on the battlefield.

Dawn's Piplup wanted to battle. However, its Trainer opted to bring out Quilava instead, which saddened Piplup.

Dawn explained, "I'm sorry, Piplup. Pikachu's moves are effective against you."

"Go, Excadrill!" Iris sent out her Excadrill.

On the other hand, Kyon summoned 'Yanmega', which was obviously loaned by Brendan to him prior to the battle.

"So it is Pikachu and Yanmega versus Excadrill and Quilava," said Jeremy, "Let the battle begin!"

"Pikachu, let's start off with Quick Attack!"

"Excadrill, use Metal Claw!"

The latter used Metal Claw to fend off Pikachu's Quick Attack. Fortunately, Pikachu avoided Metal Claw.

"Yanmega, use Hidden Power on Excadrill!"

"Quilava, intercept with Flame Wheel!"

Dawn's Quilava charged at Kyon's 'Yanmega' with Flame Wheel. However, Speed Boost was activated, enabling Yanmega to avoid the attack with agility.

"Pikachu, Electro Ball on Quilava!"

"Excadrill, block it!"

Pikachu targeted its attack at Quilava. However, it was blocked thanks to Excadrill.

"You made use of Excadrill's type advantage to block that move," remarked Dawn.

"Yeah, I'm doing it that right," replied Iris.

The battle left Meloetta fascinated. Cilan remarked to Haruhi, "Apparently, Kyon is starting to become a little good at this, even though their side is at a type disadvantage."

"Quilava, use SmokeScreen!"

Quilava spouted smoke all over the battlefield.

"Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

Air Slash managed to clear the smoke caused by SmokeScreen.

"Now use Thunderbolt!"

Thunderbolt was fired at Quilava, but like Electro Ball, it was blocked by Excadrill.

"Excadrill, use Drill Run!"

"Yanmega, use Detect!"

Excadrill's Drill Run attempted to hit through Yanmega's Detect, but it failed. The latter's Speed Boost activated again, making it raise its speed.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

"Quilava, Flamethrower!"

Just before Pikachu could hit Quilava with Iron Tail, it was hit by Flamethrower.

"I would never expect Flamethrower to fend off that Iron Tail," remarked Cilan.

Cynthia replied, "Apparently, this is the end result of Dawn's experience in her travels. Somehow, the two are making use of what they have learned in their journey. And I'm sure that will happen to Kyon as well."

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Quilava!"

"Quilava, Flame Wheel!"

"Excadrill, Focus Blast on Yanmega!"

"Yanmega, counter with Hidden Power!"

Quick Attack and Flame Wheel clashed, while Hidden Power and Focus Blast did the same thing, creating a cloud of smoke.

"Yanmega, Aerial Ace!"

"Excadrill, Drill Run!"

"Pikachu, Quick Attack one more time!"

"Quilava, finish it off with Flame Wheel!"

All four attacks hit with each other, causing a clash. However, all four Pokemon eventually stood back unharmed.

"That's it for today!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"Therefore, we should declare it as a tie," Jeremy said.

Cynthia added, "All four of you are doing great."

Ash responded, "Thanks for complimenting, Cynthia!" Pikachu then approached its Trainer to get a hug.

Quilava approached its Trainer, just as she said, "Thanks for doing well, Quilava!"

"You too, Pikachu," said Ash.

Haruhi went to Kyon and said, "I would never expect you to do any good today. You should keep it up, because I don't want to see you lag around in Pokemon battles!"

Itsuki came to him and said, "You did very well today. If you could improve a little, the outcome that everything will be back to normal will increase."

"Koizumi, I'd wish to be seeing you and Miss Asahina participate in a Pokemon battle too."

**At the pier, that late afternoon:**

"What? There isn't a flight heading for Blackthorn City until tomorrow afternoon?"

"What is it, Dawn?" asked Ash.

"The sign says that there isn't going to be a trip to Johto until tomorrow."

Ash, Cilan, Haruhi, Kyon, and Yuki read the sign that was posted on the dock.

"So that means you'll have to stay here for tonight," concluded Cilan.

Kyon thought to himself, "I was wondering if it had something to do with Haruhi."

"I know! Perhaps you should teach all of us about Pokemon Contests! That would be a good way to let the time pass until tomorrow, isn't it?" Haruhi convinced Dawn.

"Oh, sure, Haruhi. Perhaps it would be the right time to do that," replied Dawn, "Then that means I'll have to demonstrate Piplup's newest contest appeal for the Wallace Cup while I wait!"

Kyon facepalmed.

Brendan informed, "If you are worried about not having a Pokemon to use in Dawn's Pokemon Contest lessons, I'll provide you one."

"I hope contests aren't that too complicated," replied Kyon.

"We should go back to the villa and stay for the night," said Cilan.

Kyon thought, "Pokemon Contest lessons with Dawn. I wonder if that will all be very easy."

And so, the gang went back to Cynthia's villa to spend some dinner and rest for the night.

Kyon was wondering why is Haruhi suddenly becoming interested in Pokemon Contests, based on the fact that she convinced Dawn to teach the SOS Brigade about them despite the fact that they don't exist in Unova. However, it involves the fact that he has to make sure Haruhi isn't annoyed, and so, he is forced to know more about the whole premise of Pokemon Contests.

**END OF TOURNAMENT ARC**

On the next chapter:

As a request from Haruhi, Dawn offers to teach the members of the SOS Brigade the guidelines and the basics of Pokemon Contests before she departs to the Johto region. When the five start practicing on their first contest appeal using Brendan's Pokemon, Kyon's attempt to create one fails. Will he develop his new skill in Pokemon Contests, or will he end up being the result of Haruhi's frustration? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References:_

_Death Note_

_Jurassic Park_

_Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei_

_Dragon Ball Z (The omake below defines the obvious reference.)_

* * *

_OMAKE_

_Brendan: What does the word scouter say about the previous chapter's word level?_

_Ojamajo Pokemon Master: IT'S OVER 5000 WORDS! __GAHHHH! __(crushes the word scouter with his grip)_  


_Brendan: What? Over 5000 words? There's no way that can't be right!_


	16. Everything's Better With Sparkles I

_Author's note: This is part I of II of the Mock Pokemon Contest arc, which is pretty much shorter than the Tournament Arc. . . . . . . _

_P.S.: Oh yeah. When Yuki fully introduces herself to Ash and the gang, expect a callback to the third episode of Haruhi where she introduces herself to Kyon._

* * *

**_Chapter 16_**

**_Everything's Better With Sparkles I_**

It was another morning in Cynthia's villa.

"Maho!" yelled a familiar voice in the bedroom where Dawn, Mikuru, Haruhi, Yuki, and Iris just slept.

"Haruhi, you were only waking us up," Iris said as she was awakened by Haruhi's yelling.

"Good morning!" greeted the smiling Haruhi.

"Good morning too, Haruhi," replied Dawn, who was already awake, drying her hair.

When the latter checked out her bag, she said, "Don't touch it!"

When she pulled out a case from Dawn's bag, she wondered, "I wonder what's this?"

"That's my ribbon case."

"Ribbon case?"

"That's where I obviously store the ribbons I earn for winning a Pokemon Contest."

"What are ribbons?" asked Haruhi.

"Ribbons are items earned to winning Pokemon Coordinators," Dawn replied, "But to get them, one must have a contest pass."

"Pokemon Coordinators? Contest passes?" Haruhi thought. She then said, "Can you also explain it to Mikuru, Kyon, Yuki, and Itsuki later? After all, you're going to demonstrate the whole premise of Pokemon Contests today before you leave to Johto."

"Sure. While waiting for the next plane to Johto, I'll be teaching all of you what's like to become a Pokemon Coordinator."

When everyone has gathered for breakfast, Kyon was the last to show up, as usual.

"Kyon, you're late again. Penalty!" Haruhi yelled at Kyon. When she noticed that there was still food left for Kyon to eat, she said, "Lucky for you, it's a good thing there's still some breakfast left for you."

She then stood up and announced, "While Dawn is waiting for the next plane for the Johto region, she will be teaching us today how Pokemon Contests are done, right Dawn?"

Dawn replied, "Sure, at least Iris, Kyon, and the others will get the idea as much as you do, Haruhi."

"Kyon, are you listening?" asked Haruhi, as she noticed Kyon looking at Mikuru, "Now, I want you to get the idea of what Pokemon Contests are like, ya hear me?"

"Uh, ok," replied Kyon as he rubbed his hand at the nape of his neck.

Outside, Brendan, Iris, Cilan, and the five members of the SOS Brigade sat on the center of the battlefield as Dawn and Ash stood in front of them. Jeremy was in the balcony, watching the gang. Meloetta showed up, hiding its presence.

"Ok, let's get down to business," Dawn said, "Here are the basic terms that should be understood when you think of Pokemon Contests."

"To start off, Pokemon Contests are competitions that demonstrate how beautiful and skilled a Coordinator's Pokemon can be," Dawn added, "and to enter them, a Pokemon Coordinator must have a contest pass for a specific region."

Kyon asked, "Then what are Pokemon Coordinators?"

"Pokemon Coordinators like me, are Pokemon trainers that raise Pokemon to compete in Pokemon Contests."

"So that obviously explains why your Piplup showcased its talent when you and Cilan faced off against Haruhi and Kyon the other day," Iris said.

"What are the mechanics of an actual Pokemon Contest?" Kyon asked.

Dawn replied, "It consists of two rounds. In the first round, Pokemon Coordinators have to have their Pokemon perform moves in order to showcase their talents and beauty. The appeals are awarded by three judges, and points are determined depending on how skilled a Pokemon is based on its performance. Those that get the highest scores will proceed to the next round, which is the Contest Battles round."

"That means they have to have a Pokemon battle?" Haruhi, Kyon, Mikuru, Cilan, and Iris all asked.

"Yes, you're all correct. A Coordinator's Pokemon will still have to show their skills and beauty whilst battling at the same time."

"What are the main things to do in the battle ?" Itsuki asked.

"The main objective is to decrease your opponent's points in a five-minute time limit," Dawn replied.

"You mean, I must make sure my Pokemon doesn't lose points right?" Kyon asked. He then thought, "It appears that Koizumi has gone out-of character just to ask anything about Pokemon Contests."

"Exactly," Dawn replied to Kyon's question, "Here are the instances when a Coordinator loses points. It could be when a Coordinator's Pokemon get hit by an attack or when its attack fails. Points are also lost when the opponent's Pokemon makes a beautiful contest move or when the opponent Pokemon uses their Pokemon's attack to their advantage."

"That can't be good if the opponent Coordinator's Pokemon makes a lot of beautiful appeals," Kyon muttered.

Itsuki asked, "When does the battle round end?"

Dawn replied, "The battle round ends once the five-minute limit has passed, or when the opponent's Pokemon has been declared unable to battle. In the case of the former, the winner is determined based on the number of points left."

"You mean, the less points lost, the more chances of winning?" Haruhi and Kyon asked curiously.

"Exactly correct. And the winner gets to earn a ribbon." Dawn pulled out a contest ribbon from her case and showed it to Brendan, Haruhi, Kyon, Mikuru, Itsuki, and Yuki.

She added, "Coordinators that earn five ribbons in a specific region will get the chance to participate in that region's Grand Festival."

"Grand Festival? What is it?" Kyon asked, continuing to become inquisitive.

Brendan remarked at Itsuki, "Kyon is starting to become inquisitive at this."

"You're right, Brendan. It appears that he probably wants to continue keeping Haruhi in her happy state."

In response to Kyon's question, Dawn replied, "The Grand Festival is an event that acts as the one last step for every Pokemon Coordinator. The winner of this prestigious event will get to earn the Ribbon Cup as well as be promoted to Top Coordinator status."

"Did you partake on a Grand Festival, Dawn?" Iris asked.

"I participated, though I eventually lost out in the finals. However, my quest to become a Top Coordinator like Mom is never done," Dawn replied, "And, oh. I have one more tip. The way you bring out your Pokemon in a Pokemon Contest is also a factor in making a good contest appeal."

She brought out a medium-sized poster featuring a ball capsule and some seals as well as the steps on how to put a seal in a ball capsule.

"So those are ball capsules? I wonder how they work," thought Haruhi, "And also the seals."

Dawn rolled out the poster and explained, "Ball capsules are items that can be attached to a Poke Ball in order to add special effects once you send out your Pokemon. The said special effects can be attained by putting seals in the ball capsules. That way, you can change the way your Pokemon comes out of its Poke Ball. However, because there are no ball capsules and seals in the Unova region, it won't be necessary to have both of them provided for the upcoming contest."

She looked at Piplup and asked, "Piplup, can you show to the SOS Brigade a demonstration of how a contest appeal is done?"

Piplup was motivated to agree.

"Okay. Piplup, use BubbleBeam!"

Piplup fired BubbleBeams in the air as they floated.

"That wasn't appealing," Kyon remarked.

"That's just the beginning, Kyon," Dawn replied, "Piplup, use Ice Beam!"

Using Ice Beam, Piplup froze the BubbleBeams that were sent out into the air.

"Now use Drill Peck!"

Piplup smashed all the frozen BubbleBeams using Drill Peck, creating a series of glittering sparkles that scattered all over the battlefield. Meloetta was fascinated at Piplup's performance as it landed safely back to the ground.

"And that's how a contest appeal is made," Dawn concluded as she made a curtsy.

"Confound these Pokemon contests, they drive the SOS Brigade to partake in contest appeals," Brendan said.

Kyon remarked, "That was quite an impressive performance."

Dawn replied, "Why thank you, Kyon."

Haruhi suggested, "Brendan, did you just rotate your Pokemon? Because I was wondering if the five of us would each borrow your Pokemon."

Brendan replied, "That would be problematic if all five of my Pokemon would tire out in one day." After doing a thinking pose, he eventually said, "Perhaps Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan should borrow one Pokemon for each member of the SOS Brigade!"

"What?" Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan all gasped.

"No way, Brendan," Ash replied.

When Haruhi glomped Ash's Pikachu, who was on top of Ash's shoulder, the latter remarked, "There's no way this Pikachu won't be this cute! Can I borrow your Pikachu? I want to take it home with me!"

Ash replied, "But Pikachu's my Pokemon."

When Haruhi tightly glomped Pikachu, Kyon remarked, "And if you're hugging Pikachu tight, don't you remember that it's an Electric-type?"

"Electric-type? You mean-"

Haruhi was suddenly shocked as Pikachu discharged its electricity at her.

"I think you're right, Kyon," Haruhi replied in broken tone as she eventually dropped down to the ground.

A few minutes later, Dawn, Cilan, Iris, and Brendan each handed one of their Poke Balls to each of the three members of the SOS Brigade, with Cilan handing one to Mikuru, Iris to Itsuki, and Brendan to Yuki. Unbeknownst to Brendan, only Kyon wasn't lent over a Poke Ball.

Pikachu was beside a sitting Haruhi, patting its head.

Dawn explained, "Okay, send out the Pokemon from the Poke Balls that are being handed over to you."

Itsuki sent out Iris's Emolga, while Yuki brought out Brendan's Alakazam.

Mikuru attempted to send out the Poke Ball handed over to her by Cilan, but she failed.

"No, Mikuru. You should throw the Poke Ball like this!" Haruhi said as she sent out Cilan's Pansage for her.

She then sat down, approached Ash's Pikachu and asked it, "Pikachu, can you help me practice on my first contest appeal?" Pikachu nodded.

"Okay, guys. Let's start creating a new appeal using the Pokemon you have on hand!" Dawn exclaimed, "I have an idea. We should hold a mock Pokemon Contest. Of course, all of you already know what happens in the first and second rounds, so Jeremy should be the judge."

Iris approached Itsuki and said, "Emolga knows the moves Electro Ball, Volt Switch, Discharge, and Attract."

She then talked to Emolga, saying, "Emolga, when you train with Itsuki, don't use Volt Switch until he tells you to use it." Emolga frowned, but it agreed anyways.

Cilan did the same to Mikuru and said, "Mikuru, Pansage's moves are Dig, Bullet Seed, Rock Tomb, and SolarBeam. You must not forget these moves if you want to make a good appeal just like Dawn."

Mikuru muttered, "Uh, ok."

Brendan approached Yuki, saying, "Alakazam still knows the same moves. Good luck on creating a good appeal."

And so, almost everyone was practicing in the battlefield. Haruhi and Ash's Pikachu were developing on a combination technique consisting of Electro Ball and Thunderbolt. Cilan and Stunfisk were developing a technique consisting of Mud Bomb and Thunderbolt.

Yuki and Brendan's Alakazam practiced on a combination involving the use of Psychic to bend both of Alakazam's spoons in midair. Itsuki and Iris's Emolga were working on a combination consisting of Attract and Discharge. Ash and Krookodile were practicing on a combination that involved slashing Stone Edge using Dragon Claw.

Mikuru was nervous and shy about making a contest appeal using Cilan's Pansage, but Haruhi showed up and helped her out.

"Mikuru, I will help you out," she said, "Pansage, use Rock Tomb!"

A boulder appeared on Pansage's hands and lifted it down to the ground.

"Now you finish the contest appeal using another move, Mikuru."

"Alright," Mikuru replied, "Pansage, use SolarBeam!"

Cilan's Pansage fired its attack, aiming for the boulder. However, SolarBeam only smashed it into smaller rocks with little to no appeal at all.

Cilan sweatdropped and muttered, "The way Mikuru instructed my Pansage to use SolarBeam was just a bitter taste."

Meanwhile, Kyon was wondering why didn't Brendan lend him a Pokemon.

"Why didn't you lend me a Pokemon?" Kyon asked Brendan, approaching.

"Well, I was actually thinking of another Pokemon to lend over to you for the Pokemon Contest," replied the latter. Suddenly he had an idea.

"Exeggutor, unlock," Brendan spouted, just when he brought out a Poke Ball. Twisting his hands with the Poke Ball in the middle of it, he summoned an Exeggutor.

Kyon facepalmed.

"Now there goes the obligatory Shugo Chara reference. I would never expect such reference to sink that low."

"Well, yes, you're right. This is obviously obligatory, since Exeggutor is the evolved form of Exeggcute, a Pokemon that resembles a bunch of eggs."

"It is?" Kyon asked.

Brendan pulled out his own Pokedex and showed it to Kyon. The Pokedex said, "Exeggcute, the Egg Pokemon. Exeggcute is mistaken by many to be a group of eggs. It uses telepathy as a form of communication."

Brendan scrolled the Pokedex and it said, "Exeggutor, the Coconut Pokemon, and the evolved form of Exeggcute. It is described by many to be the walking tropical rain forest. If one of the heads fall off, it reverts back to becoming an Exeggcute."

Kyon muttered, "It doesn't make sense if one of the heads devolves back to its basic form."

"Alright, Kyon. I can teach you Exeggutor's special combination." Brendan whispered to Kyon, causing the latter to make a reaction.

"But how can I make use of that combination?"

"Don't worry. I can teach you how."

_*Scene transition*_

While the rest were practicing on their combinations with the Pokemon borrowed to them, Kyon sat on the ground as Brendan demonstrated Exeggutor's special contest combination.

"This combination is not difficult," spouted Brendan, "Let Exeggutor concentrate using Calm Mind."

Exeggutor's body was imbued in a pink glow.

"Whisper the instruction to use Energy Ball tenderly."

Exeggutor fired an Energy Ball upwards.

"Now aim the Hyper Beam at the target that you don't like, or in this case, the Energy Ball. . . . . "

Exeggutor prepared to charge its Hyper Beam.

". . . . . . . . .and using that attack, unleash the annihilation of love!"

Hyper Beam was fired upwards, causing the Energy Ball to explode in a shower of fireworks and beautiful sparkles.

Kyon was impressed. Exeggutor's combination managed to catch the attention of Dawn, Haruhi, Cilan, Ash, Iris, Itsuki, Mikuru, Yuki, and Meloetta.

Approaching Brendan, she remarked, "That was a good contest move you just did. I wonder if you were inclined to contests too."

"Well, that was a contest combination I improvised just for Kyon," replied Brendan, "Ironically, I'm not that much of a participant in Pokemon Contests as much as you do, Dawn."

"I wonder if Kyon will fare well with that one," thought Haruhi.

Dawn asked, "Did you think up of a good name for that combination?"

Kyon thought, "You're not going to call that combination as Master Spark, are you, Brendan?"

"Now you try it, Kyon," said Brendan, "Just command Exeggutor to use the moves in the exact order as I demonstrated earlier, and you will correctly get the combination."

"Ok," thought Kyon as he sighed, "Would it be fine if I borrow your Exeggutor for the contest?"

Brendan responded, "I don't think it would be a problem to borrow it on the contest proper."

Thinking to himself, he instructed, "Exeggutor, use Calm Mind."

Exeggutor imbued itself in a pink aura.

"Now use Energy Ball and send it upward."

Exeggutor fired Energy Ball up in the air.

"Use Hyper Beam!"

Exeggutor fired a Hyper Beam upward, but due to a gust of wind, it missed. The Energy Ball then fell right down, hitting Brendan's head and knocking him out.

When Kyon approached Brendan, he asked, "Are you alright?"

The latter yelled, "Stupid Kyon! You made me look bad!"

"I'm sorry, I would never expect Hyper Beam to fail to hit that Energy Ball."

"That's fine though," replied Brendan, "Sometimes, the combination can be a bit tricky to master especially when you have to take account of the wind." He was then lifted back up by Kyon, grabbing his hand.

Suddenly, Haruhi said, "I'll be right back. I'll go request Jeremy to provide the snacks." She then left off and went back to the mansion.

That was when Kyon thought, "Miss Nagato, if you want to introduce your background and identity to Ash and his friends, should you do it right now?"

Ash asked, "What is it?"

"I will fully explain about my identity," said Yuki.

Cilan asked, "Explain it fully. We want to know."

"Haruhi Suzumiya and I are not ordinary humans."

Iris said, "We already know that Haruhi isn't ordinary. But I don't think you show a lot of emotions, which explains the fact that you're not indeed ordinary."

Yuki said, "That is not what I actually mean. I am not referring to the absence of personality traits. I am referring to the fact that Haruhi Suzumiya and I are different from the majority of humans like yourself."

"I don't get the slightest idea," said Dawn and Ash in unison.

"To explain clearly, I am a humanoid interface created to make contact with ordinary lifeforms."

"I don't get the idea what Yuki just said," Iris said.

Kyon replied, "If you listen any further, you'll eventually get the hang of it. I was even confused at first when she introduced herself to me."

Iris asked Yuki, "If you're a humanoid interface, what do you do?"

"My task is to observe Haruhi Suzumiya and send all obtained data to the Data Integration Thought Entity."

Cilan asked, "When did you start your observations on Haruhi?"

Yuki replied, "It started a few years ago, when we observed a data flare, an explosion of data from the world Kyon and I live in."

"Then what just happened?"

"Everything was peaceful, until there were irregularities, those coming from Haruhi Suzumiya."

"This leaves me asking another question. What can you describe about the Data Integration Thought Entity?"

"The Data Integration Thought Entity is an organization that consists of data organisms that supervise a portion of the galaxy in which the planet Earth is a part of. Because the faction is incapable of communicating with humans, it has created interfaces such as myself."

This caused Cilan to become curious. He asked, "Would that be a problem should Haruhi find out about her powers? Itsuki was telling us that it would cause a lot of problems should she manage to find out about this."

Yuki replied, "Yes. The Data Integration Thought Entity has confirmed that if Haruhi Suzumiya is aware of the situation regarding her own ability, this results in the potential for possible unpredictable risks."

Ash asked, "Are you the only one in your faction?"

"I am not the only one assigned on Earth by the Data Integration Thought Entity."

Cilan thought, whilst in a thinking pose, "Let me guess. Mikuru is a time traveler, Itsuki is an esper, and what is Yuki like, Kyon? After all, you had a meet-and-greet with all three of them."

Kyon responded, "To make all of it simpler, an alien."

"You mean, an alien in human form?"

Dawn and Iris gasped, saying those words in shock.

"Yes," replied Yuki.

Dawn thought, "I was wondering how did Haruhi get those powers of hers."

Koizumi replied, "For now, it is a mystery to how did Miss Suzumiya get her godlike powers."

"This left me wondering all along," thought Iris, "I was wondering, Kyon, why did you get to meet up with a time traveler, an esper, and an alien in human form."

"The truth is, Haruhi sought to look for them, and so, there they are, right with us," replied Kyon.

"I'm going to agree with you, but what do we do when Haruhi's powers activate?" asked Ash.

Just before Kyon could reply, Haruhi returned, with Jeremy bringing out a tray full of treats.

Without Haruhi hearing him, Itsuki said, "It looks like she has returned. We should resume this conversation later."

"We're back! Kyon, I asked Cynthia's butler to prepare some lunch whilst preparing for the contest. After all, we can't simply be energized without a round of lunch, can we?"

The gang chowed down on a hearty lunch at the folding table beside the battlefield, set up by Jeremy.

After lunch, the table was left to be used as the judges' table. Jeremy, Kyon, and Itsuki carried a wide TV screen behind the table.

Kyon asked, "I was wondering why is there a screen that we need to set up for the Pokemon Contest."

"According to Dawn during the lunch break, the screen serves as a form of scoreboard in the battles round where the winner is determined based on the points remaining in a given time limit," replied Itsuki.

"I hope this isn't too tricky, Koizumi," thought Kyon.

Itsuki added, "The appeals round also happens to be the elimination round, so you might be a little worried about being eliminated early."

"I hope this all goes very well."

When Kyon said those words, he was wondering if he will perform very well in the mock Pokemon Contest. Only time will tell though if he is right or not or even both. . . . .

**To be continued. . . . . . . . **

On the next chapter:

The mock Pokemon Contest has finally started. Will Kyon be able to brush up on his contest skills and win it? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References: _

_Pani Poni Dash_

_Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai (Oreimo)_

_My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_

_Shugo Chara_

_Touhou Project_

_Courage the Cowardly Dog_

_Author's note #2: _

_"This combination is not difficult." The steps in setting up Exeggutor's contest combination is a reference to the steps on how Marisa Kirisame casts her Master Spark in Touhou Project._

_"Exeggutor, unlock." This is a variant of the phrase spoken by Amu Hinamori in her transformation sequence in Shugo Chara._

_"Stupid Kyon! You made me look bad!" It is a reference to a certain line spoken by Eustace Bagge in Courage the Cowardly Dog._


	17. Everything's Better With Sparkles II

_Author's note: This is part II of II of the Mock Pokemon Contest arc. And oh, happy Halloween to everyone who has been reading this fanfic. This is going to be yet another long chapter, an even longer one._

* * *

_**Chapter 17**_

_**Everything's Better With Sparkles II**_

The mock Pokemon Contest has started, with Dawn being the host. Ironically, the only ones consisting of the audience are Ash and Meloetta.

"And now, it's time for the SOS Brigade's first ever Pokemon Contest, the first of its kind ever set up in the Unova region!"

That was when Dawn showed up in the middle of the battlefield.

"I'm the host of the mock Pokemon Contest, and today, we will be witnessing the performances of each of the members of the SOS Brigade, as well as Iris and Cilan!"

Not far from the battlefield, Iris, Cilan, and the five members of the SOS Brigade were standing, preparing for their performances.

Mikuru thought, "I'm feeling kinda nervous."

Haruhi replied, "Now, now, Mikuru. Don't be too nervous for this event. After all, it is a mock Pokemon Contest!"

"Well, yeah. But what if it is the real deal, Haruhi?" Kyon thought to himself.

Dawn announced, "And now, to start the appeals round, we now have our first contestant!"

Ash informed Meloetta, "Meloetta, this is going to be exciting. After all, you would want to watch all those awesome performances."

The first contestant of the mock Pokemon Contest was Iris, who summoned Excadrill.

"Excadrill, use Dig!"

Excadrill dug a hole, forming a hole in the battlefield.

"Now use Focus Blast!"

Excadrill fired a Focus Blast through the hole, sending it upwards.

Kyon was wondering what was Iris up to.

"Now use Drill Run!"

Excadrill went out of the hole, aiming the Drill Run at the Focus Blast, creating a shower of beautiful sparkles. The Subterrene Pokemon then landed back on its feet, and along with its Trainer, the two made a curtsy.

The performance left Meloetta impressed.

Cynthia simply remarked, "Excadrill is doing great."

Jeremy also remarked, saying, "The way Excadrill pulled off the combination of Focus Blast and Drill Run is simply appealing. Well done."

Dawn announced, "And now, let's go check out the performance of our next contestant, Haruhi Suzumiya!"

Haruhi said to Ash's Pikachu, "Let's go and make it an appeal that your Trainer wouldn't forget!"

"You can do it, Haruhi!" Ash yelled.

"Go, Pikachu!"

Haruhi took the stage as Pikachu went out to the battlefield.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

Ash's Pikachu fired an Electro Ball that floated in the air.

"Use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu sliced the Electro Ball with Iron Tail, breaking it into smithereens.

"Now, using the Counter Shield technique, use Thunderbolt for the big finish!"

Pikachu spun on its back, creating whips of electricity that came out from Pikachu's Thunderbolt. The resulting electric whips collided with the smithereens from the sliced Electro Ball, creating a shower of sparkles. Pikachu lands back on its feet as the sparkles showered all over it and Haruhi.

Meloetta was amazed as the two then made a bow.

"Well, what do you think, Ash?" Haruhi asked, looking at him, "After all, I do know that your Pikachu used to know a special technique called Counter Shield, right?"

"But how did you know that?" asked Ash.

Cynthia remarked, "The way Pikachu reenacted the Counter Shield technique that it applied in the Sinnoh League truly amazes me."

Jeremy also did the same, and commented, "Counter Shield is indeed a good combination. Good one."

"And now, we look forward to our next contestant, Brendan!" Dawn announced.

"Go, Blastoise!" Brendan sent out a Blastoise.

This left Iris and Cilan wondering what was that Pokemon Brendan sent out.

Yuki replied, "It is called a Blastoise, the final evolved form of Squirtle, a Water-type starter Pokemon native to the Kanto region."

"So, Brendan summoned a Pokemon from a region far away from Unova," concluded Iris.

"Blastoise, use Hydro Cannon!"

Blastoise fired Hydro Cannon up in the air.

"Now use Ice Beam!"

Ice Beam is fired, freezing the Hydro Cannon.

"For the finisher, use Aqua Jet!"

Immensing itself in water, Blastoise charged itself up in the air, destroying the frozen Hydro Cannon. There was shimmering glitter all over the place as Blastoise landed on its feet.

Kyon thought, "Brendan's suspiciously doing the same combination technique as Iris."

After a comment from the judges, Dawn remarked, "The next to enter the stage is. . . . . Kyon!"

Haruhi informed, "Looks like it's your turn, Kyon! Do your best!"

When Brendan returned from the battlefield, he approached Kyon and said, "Remember the correct order of moves to be used in order to complete Exeggutor's contest combination, get it?"

When Kyon went out to take the stage, he summoned Brendan's Exeggutor.

"Exeggutor, use Calm Mind!"

Exeggutor was imbued in a pink aura.

"Now use Energy Ball!"

Energy Ball was fired up in the air.

"Now for the finisher!"

Suddenly, there was a slight gust of wind blowing behind Kyon's back. This made him recall what happened earlier when he was trying to practice the same contest appeal Brendan improvised for him. . . . .

_"Sometimes, the combination can be a bit tricky to master especially when you have to take account of the wind."_

Suddenly, Kyon had an idea.

"Exeggutor, use Hyper Beam and take advantage of the wind!"

Exeggutor fired its attack as it was redirected by the slight gust of wind, effectively hitting the Energy Ball fired upwards. Like with the other performances before it, it also caused Meloetta to become impressed.

Cynthia remarked, "I liked how Exeggutor took advantage of the wind in order to fire its Hyper Beam and complete the combination. Good work."

Jeremy also commented, saying, "Like Miss Cynthia, I never expected that a combination that would otherwise become a mess would be a perfectly done series of techniques."

"And now, we're on with the show!" announced Dawn.

When it was Yuki's turn to take the stage, she made a contest appeal along with Brendan's Alakazam, which involved levitating and bending both of its spoons in midair.

After that, it was Mikuru's turn. She and Cilan's Pansage performed a great show, with Pansage using Bullet Seed to carve a statue of itself using its Rock Tomb. However, she eventually ended up instructing Pansage to fire SolarBeam at the well-finished rock statue of itself, leaving Cilan and Haruhi unimpressed.

Cilan facepalmed, saying, "Mikuru shouldn't have told Pansage to use SolarBeam while it is carving the Rock Tomb using Bullet Seed."

Kyon thought to himself, "I was impressed on how Pansage carved a statue of itself with Bullet Seed.

Itsuki also did a decent contest appeal using Iris's Emolga. It spun as it used Discharge to destroy all the pink hearts it created using its Attract.

The last contestant of the contest, Cilan, also performed well, with his Stunfisk using Sludge Bomb, Thundershock, and Scald to create a fireworks display.

Dawn concluded, "And that ends the first round of the mock Pokemon Contest. The judges have immediately selected the four contestants who will be moving on to the second round!"

The screen that was behind Cynthia and Jeremy displayed the names of the said contestants. They were Haruhi, Kyon, Iris, and Cilan.

Brendan and Itsuki approached Kyon and congratulated him.

"Kyon, looks like you and Miss Suzumiya have made it to the second round," said Itsuki.

"Too bad Itsuki and I both lost out, so I'll start lending you and Haruhi another Pokemon to use in the battles round," added Brendan.

"Do you know which side are you supporting for?" asked Kyon.

Brendan replied, "Well. . . . . . . it's kinda complicated, since you and Haruhi are both moving on to the next round. I'll support both of you."

After loaning over a Poke Ball to Kyon, he went off to lend Haruhi another one of his Poke Balls.

Kyon thought, "I was wondering why does he have to lend over his Pokemon at a time like this."

"It is possible to use a different Pokemon in the next round, unless if you get eliminated," responded Itsuki.

"It is?"

On the other hand, Ash congratulated Cilan for performing well.

"Your Stunfisk performed very well. No wonder you can also be a Contest Connoisseur, Cilan."

"Well, actually, it is the first time for me to create such an exquisite performance," replied Cilan.

Dawn announced, "And now, we are about to start the second round, which is the battles round, in which the selected four candidates will have to battle it out in five minutes."

That was when Haruhi and Iris faced off in the battlefield.

"Five minutes on the clock, begin!"

The five minute clock that was displayed on the screen started ticking.

"Electivire, come on out!"

"Excadrill, go!"

Haruhi summoned the same Electivire that Brendan loaned to her before, while Iris once again sent out Excadrill.

Cilan remarked, "Looks like Haruhi is at a disadvantage."

"Well, yeah," responded Kyon.

"Wait . . . . . . what was that?"

"As you can see, it's pretty obvious that an Electric-type like Electivire is weak to the Ground-type moves that Excadrill carries," said Itsuki.

"Oh. . . . . not that again," muttered Kyon.

"Electivire, use ThunderPunch!"

"Dodge it!"

Excadrill avoided Electivire's ThunderPunch, causing Haruhi to lose some points.

"But how come?" Kyon exclaimed to Dawn, who was at the opposite side of the stage.

Dawn replied to Kyon's question, "In a Contest Battle, a Pokemon Coordinator loses points when his or her Pokemon's attack fails. After all, you can't just steal your opponent's points just by hitting them by force."

"I'm starting to lose points," thought Haruhi, "I'll have to make sure Electivire's moves will be more accurate no matter what."

She then commanded, "Electivire, use Psychic!"

Using Psychic, Excadrill was sent up levitating in the air and was put down by force. Iris lost some points.

"Looks like Miss Suzumiya is starting to catch up," Itsuki said to Kyon, "I wonder if this will keep up."

"Yeah. I was hoping that Haruhi wouldn't cause any trouble should she lose this round," responded Kyon.

"Excadrill, use Drill Run!"

"Use Protect!"

Excadrill attempted to penetrate through Electivire's Protect using Drill Run, but it failed. Iris once again lost some points.

"Excadrill, use Dig!"

The Subterrene Pokemon dug a hole and burrowed down the battlefield, leaving Haruhi confused.

"Now use Focus Blast!"

Excadrill emerged from the ground, hitting Electivire from behind. Haruhi was losing points again.

"That was a surprising tactic," Kyon thought.

"Now use Dig again!"

Excadrill created another hole, once again burrowing into the ground.

"Use Metal Claw!"

Once the Subterrene Pokemon emerged from the ground, it hit Electivire with Metal Claw. This left Haruhi frustrated as she was with half the points remaining while Iris lost 1/2 of her points.

"Use Dig one more time!"

With Excadrill digging on the ground once again, Haruhi attempted to think of a plan for Electivire to avoid Excadrill's attack.

"Now use Metal Claw again!"

Excadrill repeated its Dig-Metal Claw combination, causing Haruhi to lose some points.

There were only two minutes remaining.

"If only there was a move that can stop Excadrill in its tracks," thought Haruhi. When Haruhi had an idea, she suddenly muttered, "Of course!"

"What is it, Haruhi?" asked Iris.

"You'll see," replied Haruhi.

Ash cheered, "You can do it, Iris! And you too, Haruhi!" Meloetta was beside him, still fascinated of watching the battle.

"Excadrill, use Focus Blast!"

"Intercept with ThunderPunch!"

Electivire's ThunderPunch collided with Excadrill's Focus Blast. The former managed to pierce through the latter, creating a sparkly glow. Iris was losing points again as she eventually was at half the points left.

"Use Dig!"

Excadrill burrowed through the ground as Iris plans to use the same combination as before.

"Electivire, use Earthquake!"

"That can't be!" Iris exclaimed.

Electivire punched its fist in the ground, creating an earthquake that shook the battlefield. The ground broke down, which caused Excadrill to be sent flying.

"Excadrill, hang in there!"

The Subterrene Pokemon flipped and landed its feet back on the ground.

Kyon remarked, "I would never expect Electivire's Earthquake to be so. . . . . . earth-shaking."

There was only 17 seconds remaining. Iris was now losing more points than Haruhi.

"Excadrill, use Metal Claw!"

"Block it!"

Electivire blocked Excadrill's Metal Claw.

"Time to finish this. Excadrill, use Drill Run!"

"Electivire, counter with ThunderPunch!"

Both attacks collided with each other. The two Pokemon eventually fall back as the five-minute mark came to a close.

"Time's up!" Dawn exclaimed, "The winner of this battle is. . . . . . . Haruhi Suzumiya!"

Haruhi approached and congratulated Iris for having a great battle.

Iris said to Haruhi, "I congratulate you for doing a great job."

"What are you talking about? You did great too," replied the latter.

Kyon sighed in relief. He thought, "Even though Haruhi was at a type disadvantage, she managed to turn the tables and defeat Iris."

"Well, I guess you're up next," Itsuki said, "You'll have to defeat Cilan if you want to face off against Miss Suzumiya."

"I'll just have to hit you again for saying that."

"Well, it's for the best. Now, go and make the next battle a good one," said Itsuki as Kyon set off to the battlefield to face off against Cilan.

The five-minute mark has started as Cilan and Kyon summoned Crustle and Yanmega, respectively.

"Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

"Counter with X-Scissor!"

Air Slash was destroyed by Crustle's X-Scissor, creating a shower of sparkling particles. Kyon lost the first 1/2 of his points.

Haruhi cheered, "Go, Kyon! Don't throw in the towel just yet!"

Yanmega's Speed Boost was activated, causing the Ogre Darner Pokemon to accumulate some speed.

"Yanmega, Aerial Ace!"

"Crustle, Protect!"

Using Protect, Crustle successfully blocked Yanmega's Aerial Ace, causing Kyon to lose more points.

This caused Haruhi to become very frustrated.

"If only there was a way to get past that Pokemon of his," Kyon thought, referring to Cilan's Crustle, "But how?"

He suddenly had an idea.

"Yanmega, use Hidden Power!"

"Use X-Scissor!"

Just before Crustle could destroy Hidden Power using its X-Scissor, Kyon commanded, "Use Air Slash!"

The combination of Hidden Power and Air Slash caused an explosion that left the Stone Home Pokemon unfazed. Cilan eventually lost the first 1/4 of his points.

Yanmega's Speed Boost accumulated again, causing it to raise its speed.

"You can do it, Cilan! And you too, Kyon!" Ash cheered. Meloetta was still fascinated to watch the battle.

"Crustle, use Shell Smash!"

Red cracks formed around Crustle's body as it jumped from its shell. It was then imbued in a crimson aura.

Kyon wondered, "What is that move?"

Before Cilan could reply, he noticed the screen, and it was only two minutes and 30 seconds remaining. He then continued and said, "To make it brief, Shell Smash is a Normal-type move that raises Crustle's Attack, Special Attack, and Speed, although it sacrifices its huge defenses in exchange for improving its offensive power."

"So that's how Shell Smash works?" asked Kyon.

"In that case, you'll see why Crustle is now stronger. Crustle, use Rock Slide!"

Several rocks emerged from above as Kyon thought of a way for Yanmega to dodge all of them.

"Dodge all the rocks and use Air Slash!"

Thanks to its Speed Boost, Yanmega avoided Rock Slide and successfully hit Crustle with Air Slash. Cilan lost some points.

"Now that's one fast Yanmega," remarked Cilan, "Crustle, Shell Smash one more time!"

Itsuki thought to himself, "Looks like Crustle is attempting to catch up after Yanmega in terms of speed. I wonder how this will end."

"Use Aerial Ace!"

"Block it!"

Crustle blocked Yanmega's Aerial Ace, causing Kyon to lose points.

"Crustle, X-Scissor!"

"Aerial Ace, Yanmega. Let's go!"

Crustle and Yanmega both clashed their attacks, resulting in Kyon and Cilan both lost the same amount of points.

There was only 1 minute remaining.

"Crustle, use Rock Slide!"

"Counter it with Air Slash!"

Yanmega spun itself, firing a barrage of Air Slashes that sliced several boulders into smithereens. Cilan now had lesser points than Kyon.

As the time went with only 10 seconds remaining, Cilan instructed, "Use X-Scissor!"

"It's time to say goodnight! Yanmega, counter it with Aerial Ace, one more time!"

Cilan's Crustle, still imbued in a red aura due to continuous use of Shell Smash, charged at Yanmega, who attempted to counter its X-Scissor using Aerial Ace.

The collision created an explosion that knocked both Pokemon back as the five-minute mark was passed.

"Time's up!" Dawn exclaimed, "We will now find out to see who among the two will move on to the final round!"

When the smoke from the explosion cleared, it is shown on the screen that Cilan had the lesser amount of points.

"And it's Kyon! He is now eligible to move on to the final round."

Cilan approached Crustle and said to it, "Crustle, you did very well. Thanks." He then recalled Crustle and approached Kyon to congratulate him.

"Kyon, you did a great job. You and Haruhi are definitely going to become future Pokemon Coordinators, at least I was saying that."

"Thank you too, Cilan," answered Kyon, "If you didn't explain any further about Shell Smash, I would have lost to you."

"Well, of course." That was when Cilan laughed and said, "I sometimes have a flaw in which I easily explain some advice to gym challengers. Nevertheless, it was a battle fought fair and square. Best of luck to you in the final round, Kyon."

Brendan asked Kyon, "Can you call Haruhi for me?"

"Why me?"

"I left to the nearest Pokemon Center to switch Pokemon that I have right now, and I will lend two Poke Balls to both of you."

"Why two Poke Balls?"

"Prior to the contest proper, Dawn has made a last-minute decision that the final round will be a double battle instead."

"Why is that?"

"Dawn wanted the five of you, as well as Iris and Cilan, to experience double battles in Pokemon Contests as well."

"Is that even possible? Double battles in Pokemon Contests?"

"From what Dawn just said, yes."

Brendan then handed Kyon two Poke Balls.

"I'll leave the other two for Haruhi," he said as he went off to Haruhi.

Kyon went out to the battlefield as he was about to set his respective position.

Dawn announced, "And now, the Pokemon Contest that is currently being held today is now in its final round. As a slight modification to the guidelines, it is decided that the final round will instead be a double battle. We represent our two novice coordinators. On my left, it's Kyon, and on my right, it's Haruhi!"

Brendan cheered, yelling, "Both of you, battle like you want to win!"

"Five minutes on the clock, begin!"

"Hydreigon and Magmortar, _Fumoffu_!" Kyon sent out the two Pokemon.

"Salamence and Electivire, go!" Haruhi summoned the aforementioned two Pokemon Brendan also lent to her.

"And it looks like it's Hydreigon and Magmortar versus Salamence and Electivire. One Pokemon is fiery, while the other is electrifying. But who will win it?" announced Dawn.

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Pulse! Magmortar, Thunderbolt!"

Dragon Pulse fused with Thunderbolt to create a meteorite of some sort. The combination caused Haruhi to lose the first 1/2 of her points.

_"It looks like Kyon's starting the show with a good contest appeal!"_

"Hey, no fair!" yelled Haruhi, "Salamence, counter it with Dragon Claw! Electivire, use Psychic to levitate Magmortar in the air!"

Salamence sliced the fusion move with Dragon Claw, creating a sparkle of rainbow sparks. A portion of Kyon's points were lost.

Magmortar on the other hand, was being levitated upward by Electivire's Psychic and was subsequently being sent down.

"Magmortar, counter with Thunderbolt!"

Magmortar attempted to hit Electivire with Thunderbolt, but it was obviously no use; it only raised Electivire's Speed thanks to its Motor Drive. Once again, Kyon lost some points.

"How do you like that?" Haruhi bragged at Kyon.

"Hydreigon, use Draco Meteor! Magmortar, use Flamethrower!"

Flamethrower is fused with Draco Meteor, resulting in several flaming spheres of energy raining down on both Salamence and Electivire, causing Haruhi to lose points again.

Cilan remarked, "The combination of Draco Meteor and Flamethrower surely reminds me of shooting stars."

The fusion move also caused Ash and Meloetta to become fascinated.

_"And it looks like Kyon is at it again with another fusion move!"_

"Time for a counter-attack. Salamence, use Flamethrower! Electivire, use Psychic to control the Flamethrower!"

Salamence used Flamethrower to create several flaming wheels that were being controlled by Electivire's Psychic.

"Now, go!"

The flaming wheels charged at Magmortar and Hydreigon, hitting them. Kyon was losing points.

_"And it looks like Haruhi responded with a combination of her own. Several flaming wheels controlled by Electivire's Psychic attack!"_

Only 3 minutes were left.

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Pulse! Magmortar, Flamethrower!"

"Salamence, counter it with your own Dragon Pulse! Electivire, use ThunderPunch!"

The Dragon Pulse-Flamethrower combination collided with the fusion of Salamence's own Dragon Pulse and Electivire's ThunderPunch, creating yet another sparkle of fireworks. Both Haruhi and Kyon lose points, with the former having only half the points left from her full score.

Suddenly, Electivire was accumulating some electricity, causing Haruhi to wonder curiously.

"Brendan, is Electivire learning a new move?" she asked, tilting her head at Brendan.

Brendan replied, "I think so, and it's Thunderbolt."

"Looks like we're going to turn the tables with my newest technique," thought Haruhi, "Salamence, Stone Edge! Electivire, Thunderbolt!"

Stone Edge was electrified by Thunderbolt as it surrounded all over Hydreigon and Magmortar.

Unable to find a good spot to dodge, they both took damage. Kyon was starting to lose points as he is now tied with Haruhi.

_"Kyon is now tied with Haruhi! Who among both of them could possibly win this?"_

Only 1 minute and 30 seconds were left.

Hydreigon and Salamence both soared up in the air, while Magmortar and Electivire remained on the ground.

"Salamence, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Hydreigon, counter it with Acrobatics!"

"But how?"

Haruhi was surprised when she said those words.

Salamence's Dragon Pulse collided with Hydreigon's Acrobatics. However, Hydreigon managed to disperse Dragon Pulse and strike a hit on Salamence. A decent amount of Haruhi's points were lost.

"Magmortar, use Flamethrower!"

"Electivire, block it with ThunderPunch!"

Electivire punched through Magmortar's Flamethrower with ThunderPunch and landed a hit on Magmortar. Kyon was also losing a decent amount of points.

However, Haruhi and Kyon are still tied with only 56 seconds remaining.

_"Only 56 seconds remaining and still both Haruhi and Kyon are in the verge of tying with each other! Who could possibly win this?"_

This caused Mikuru and Ash to become very nervous.

"Electivire, use ThunderPunch again!"

"Magmortar, counter with Fire Punch!"

Electivire and Magmortar collide attacks with each other, but neither are giving in an inch.

Iris asked Itsuki, "I was wondering why is Kyon suddenly tying with Haruhi."

"Probably, he is trying to think of a good way to make sure this battle will be a great one for Miss Suzumiya."

"Salamence, use Dragon Claw!"

"Hydreigon, Acrobatics!"

Hydreigon dodged Dragon Claw as it soared high up in the sky whilst it was about to strike Salamence using Acrobatics. The latter avoided the former's attack.

Only 20 minutes were left, but Haruhi and Kyon are still at a tie, with only 1/4 of the points remaining from their full score.

"Magmortar, Flamethrower on Hydreigon!"

Haruhi thought, "It looks like Kyon is trying to lose his own points by letting Flamethrower hit Hydreigon."

Kyon responded, "Time to make this a memorable one. Hydreigon, use Acrobatics!"

Haruhi eventually found out that Kyon let Magmortar use Flamethrower on Hydreigon just to give Acrobatics a fiery look.

Hydreigon then charged at Salamence, causing Haruhi to lose points.

She then had an idea.

"Electivire, use Thunderbolt! Salamence, Giga Impact!"

Just as Salamence was about to initiate Giga Impact, Electivire used Thunderbolt. Applying a variation of Kyon's combination, Electivire gave Giga Impact an electric charge.

"Now go!" Haruhi yelled.

The orange spiraling streaks of light that formed Salamence's Giga Impact turned into electrifying yellow, as the Menace Pokemon charged its attack at Hydreigon.

The two Dragon-type Pokemon collided at each other, creating a bright flash and causing an explosion that stumbled both of them backwards. Haruhi and Kyon try to stand on their feet as the force of the explosion pushed both of them back.

Hydreigon and Salamence both soared down as the smoke cleared, both appearing to have been bruised from the collision but still able to get up.

Haruhi and Kyon both lost points as the time went past the five-minute mark.

_"Time's up! Who's the winner of this Pokemon Contest?"_

Suddenly, there was a moment of silence. Haruhi and Kyon stared at each other, then they both looked at the screen.

Mikuru asked Cilan, "Um, Cilan, who is winning?"

It is revealed that Haruhi had two points more than Kyon.

_"And the winner of the mock Pokemon Contest is. . . . . . Haruhi Suzumiya!"_

Haruhi jumped for joy as she was revealed to be the winner of the mock Pokemon Contest.

Kyon slightly frowned and sighed. He thought, "I guess Haruhi defeated me again. Oh well, at least I managed to master and get the hang of it."

On the battlefield, Haruhi is presented by Cynthia the same poster that Dawn displayed when she was demonstrating to Cilan, Iris, and the SOS Brigade the rules and mechanics of Pokemon Contests.

Haruhi asked Dawn, "Why is Cynthia presenting to me a poster and not a ribbon?"

"Remember that it is a mock Pokemon Contest; after all, if it were the real deal, you would have gotten a ribbon instead."

Ash, Iris, Cilan, Kyon, Itsuki, Yuki, Brendan, and Mikuru clapped their hands as they also congratulated Haruhi.

"Meloetta, what do you think of the contest battles. Weren't they great?" Dawn asked Meloetta.

Meloetta went all over the battlefield as Piplup tried to catch up after it. However, Ash's Oshawott suddenly came out of its Poke Ball and started arguing with Piplup, causing almost everyone to laugh.

Suddenly, Dawn realized that it was indeed late in the afternoon. She screamed, "Oh no. I'm gonna be late for the afternoon trip to Johto!"

"What?" Ash, Iris, and Cilan were all surprised.

The gang, including Meloetta, Cynthia, and Jeremy headed off to the pier. Fortunately for Dawn, the plane was still on the docks.

She then made a sigh of relief.

"I guess this is the time to say goodbye," said Dawn, with a frowning look in her face, "I'm gonna miss all of you."

Ash responded, "You made sure that Meloetta will smile with all those performances."

Iris added, "And because of Haruhi, you brought out the idea of Pokemon Contests in the Unova region."

Haruhi added, "Well, it's nothing. Besides, I was easily very curious to know what Pokemon Contests really are."

Ash said, "And oh. Dawn, do your best in the Wallace Cup. We'll be rooting for you."

Dawn replied, "There's no need to worry. Ash, best of luck to you in the Unova League."

"I'll do my best."

Dawn said to Iris, "More hopes to your mutual relationship with your Dragonite."

"Thanks, Dawn," responded Iris, "I'm doing my best to become a Dragon Master."

"I'll contact all of you what are the results in the Wallace Cup once it ends."

Ash said, "We'll look forward to it, Dawn."

Dawn thanked Cynthia, saying, "Thanks for everything. Let's meet again in Sinnoh."

The latter replied, "Please say hi to Wallace for me."

Haruhi added, "Don't forget to do the same for me, Kyon, and the rest of the SOS Brigade as well. I just wanted to meet Wallace, but I couldn't."

"It's a deal. Oh, by the way. I was wondering where Meloetta just went," Dawn wondered. That was when Meloetta showed up.

"Meloetta, take care of yourself," Dawn said.

Suddenly, Piplup was shedding its tear because it would be saying goodbye to Meloetta. That was when Ash's Oshawott popped out by itself from its Poke Ball.

The two Pokemon were about to make yet another contempt, that is, until it was turned into sadness as the two hug each other.

Now boarding the plane, Dawn and Piplup waved at Ash, Iris, Brendan, Cilan, and the five members of the SOS Brigade as the plane was about to leave.

"Dawn, let's meet again someday!" exclaimed Ash and Haruhi, both waving their hands.

Meloetta also waved its hand as the plane already flew away from the shore, now heading to the Johto region.

"Oh, crap! The plane has already left!"

Ash, Haruhi, Brendan, Cilan, and Iris noticed a familiar voice coming from behind them. It was Kotetsu.

The same Pokemon Trainer with a Riolu that the gang encountered the other day stopped to meet up again with Ash and the gang.

"Kotetsu?" Ash wondered.

"What do we have here, it's the same Trainer who realized that he was already late for the Junior Cup," said Kyon.

"It's you guys again," said Kotetsu, "Can I ask your names again? As you can see, I actually forgot them."

Ash, Kyon, Haruhi, Iris, and Cilan were all exasperated by Kotetsu's question.

"The name's Ash!" Ash responded angrily.

Cilan asked, "Uh, are you heading off to the Johto region as well?"

"Yes, and speaking of the Johto region, the Unova League is gonna take place there!"

Kyon responded, "This has got to be the craziest line you ever spoke. If it's the Unova League you've been talking about, it would obviously take place inside the Unova region, right?"

"Well, yes, you're right," replied Ash, "But why in Johto?"

Kotetsu responded, "I don't even know! I'm just bringing in my wild mass guessing!"

Ash informed, "I also wanted to join in the Unova League, but I don't know just yet where it will take place."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I really am."

"Why so serious? You should've told me that in the first place, and it's a good thing I was this close to leaving to Johto!"

Kotetsu added, "If you're participating, did you get all the badges? That's right, because I got all seven."

He brought out his badge case and displayed it to the gang.

"Seven? You've got to be kidding me, Kotetsu. You're wrong, because you need one more badge to enter," said Ash, displaying his own badge case, with all 8 badges still intact.

"What, that means I have to battle one more Gym just to move on to the Unova League? I thought that the last slot should've been the memorable badge, for the Unova League."

Kotetsu then sat down and thought to himself.

"If I am missing my eighth badge, where is the nearest Gym to get one?"

Jeremy replied, "The nearest Gym is in Humilau City."

"In Humilau City? Alright, Riolu, let's go!"

Haruhi convinced Kotetsu, "Should we go and watch your Gym Battle?"

Her question surprised Kyon.

"But why are we going to watch his gym battle?" asked the latter.

Haruhi replied, "We're finished with Pokemon Contests. The next stop? Let's go watch an actual Gym battle like he was demonstrating it!"

Kyon facepalmed.

Cynthia advised, "Let's call it a day for now. Kotetsu, you should spend the night with Ash and his friends."

The gang returned to Cynthia's villa that night, eating dinner then proceeded to their respective bedrooms.

That was when Kyon asked Kotetsu in the bedroom about tomorrow's gym battle.

"Kotetsu, what is that Gym battle you've been talking about just earlier."

Kotetsu replied, whispering, "You simply have a battle with a Gym Leader and in order to get a badge, you must defeat him or her in a Pokemon battle. Perhaps your friend already knows that, doesn't she?" He was referring to Haruhi.

The two then went back to sleep.

Even though Kyon lost out to Haruhi in the mock Pokemon Contest, he is still improving very well in the art of Pokemon battling.

However, there is yet another big challenge waiting for him. . . . . .

**END OF MOCK POKEMON CONTEST ARC**

On the next chapter:

Kotetsu partakes on his quest to take on the Humilau Gym and successfully defeats the Gym Leader of the said gym, Marlon. As a result, Haruhi convinces Kyon to participate on the same challenge as well. Will Kyon defeat Marlon in the same way as Kotetsu? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References: The reference list for this chapter is pretty small, so don't expect a lot of them to pop up._

_Neon Genesis Evangelion_

_Full Metal Panic Fumoffu_

_TV Tropes_

_The Dark Knight_

_Author's note #2: "Both of you, battle like you want to win!" It is a callback to the subtitle of a certain chapter of the Tournament Arc. In turn, it is a reference to an episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion entitled "Both of you, dance like you want to win!"._

_Wild mass guessing is mentioned in this chapter. Good luck finding where it is._

_In case you've been wondering why Brendan's Blastoise used Aqua Jet, it can actually learn the move by breeding as a Squirtle._


	18. Making a Splash

_Author's note: This chapter is mostly based on BW episode 94, and yet again, this is a long chapter.  
_

_And, oh yeah. Because Kotetsu's dub name is not yet confirmed as of the time this chapter and the previous chapters featuring him were posted, he will be referred to by its Japanese name._

* * *

**_Chapter 18_**

**_Making a Splash_**

It was morning. Fresh from eating breakfast in Cynthia's villa, the nine, including Kotetsu were walking on a trail in the forest, with Ash, Kotetsu himself, Kyon, and Brendan behind Cilan, Iris, and the rest of the members of the SOS Brigade.

Kotetsu exclaimed, "Once I get the last badge, I'm off to the Unova League!"

Ash responded, "And we even get to battle each other!"

Kyon asked Kotetsu, "And speaking of badges, what are those?"

This led to Ash and Kotetsu gasping in shock and knocking themselves down to the ground.

"You don't know what are badges?" exclaimed the two.

"Well, I never knew what they are," Kyon replied to both Ash and Kotetsu, "And why do you collect those?"

"The same thing we Pokemon Trainers do in every region," Ash replied to Kyon, "Try to enter the Pokemon League and become Pokemon Masters!"

Kotetsu added, "And to do that, you have to defeat all 8 Gym Leaders."

Kyon said, "Let me get this straight. Step one, collect all 8 badges. Step two, win the Pokemon League. Final step, Pokemon Master?"

Ash replied, "Exactly."

Kyon concluded, "You're obviously missing a third step."

"What are you talking about, Kyon?"

Meanwhile, Cilan, Iris, Haruhi, Yuki, Mikuru, and Itsuki were walking in front of Ash, Kyon, Brendan, and Kotetsu.

"That Ash, he and Kotetsu are definitely fired up," Cilan remarked.

"Somehow, I still believe that Ash is such a little kid," replied Iris.

Haruhi asked, "Hey, Kyon. I was wondering if I-"

When she turned her back, Kyon was gone, along with Ash, Brendan, and Kotetsu.

"Where did that Kyon go?" wondered Haruhi.

"And where's Ash and Brendan?" Iris asked.

The six went back, heading to a junction with a signpost in it.

"There's no way they would head for the other direction!" Iris muttered, "That's another reason why Ash is still such a kid."

Haruhi exasperated and said, "I wonder where that Kyon just went off to. If he doesn't show up, he's gonna get a penalty!"

Now in another trail, Ash, Brendan, Kotetsu, and Kyon were still walking.

Kyon spotted Brendan reading a manga.

"Stop reading manga while you're walking," Kyon said to Brendan.

The latter replied, "But it's a new copy of Kujibiki Unbalance. Do you wanna read it?"

"Just continue reading it later."

"Fine," Brendan muttered as he returned the manga back into his bag.

Suddenly, Meloetta showed its presence and caught up, staying beside Ash.

"Ash, who's that Pokemon?" asked Kotetsu.

"Meloetta," replied Ash.

Kotetsu introduced himself and his Riolu to Meloetta. "It's nice to meet you, Meloetta. I'm Kotetsu, and this is my partner, Riolu."

Meloetta smiled with its eyes shut.

Kyon wondered, "I was wondering if we were following Haruhi and the others."

Brendan responded, "Yeah, that's a good question."

"Haruhi?" Ash asked, realizing that they were separated.

"That means, we're lost!" Kotetsu exclaimed, causing Ash to gasp.

"Where are you, Iris and Cilan?" Ash and Kotetsu exclaimed.

When Ash started looking for Iris, Cilan, and the rest of the members of the SOS Brigade who were with them, he suddenly fell down a cliff. Fortunately, he groped some blades of grass.

"Ash, are you alright?" asked Kyon and Kotetsu as they tried to take Ash's hand.

When Brendan decided to help the two out, they eventually pulled Ash to safety, already exhausted.

Ash thought, "I don't think we could be able to look for Iris and the others."

"Have no fear, the map is right here," replied Kotetsu as he pulled out a white piece of paper.

"That would be nice," Kyon replied.

Suddenly, Kotetsu yelled, "Gahhhh!"

"What is it, Kotetsu?" Brendan and Kyon asked.

"I think I brought in the wrong map!"

"Whaaaaat?"

"That means were still lost," Kyon muttered and frowned.

The four went into a fork in the trail.

"I think we should go to the left," said Kotetsu.

"But we're supposed to be heading right!" Ash exclaimed.

"Why so serious?" asked Kotetsu.

Ash replied, "Because I said so!"

"If only there was a more valid explanation than that," Kyon muttered.

Meloetta noticed something on top of its head. It turns out, it was already raining.

"It rained," Kyon said.

"It rained?" Ash and Kotetsu wondered.

The four then ran off to look for some shelter.

When they spot a cave, Kotetsu said, "We can find some shelter in that cave over there!"

Brendan, Kyon, and Ash all agreed, and so the four went off inside the cave.

Inside, Ash's Pikachu, Kotetsu's Riolu, and Meloetta dried themselves up. Ash and Brendan were drying up their caps as well.

Ash wondered, "I wonder when's the rain gonna go away."

Kyon replied, "I don't think it will take a short while before the night comes."

"Perhaps I might have some food stored in my knapsack," Ash said as he fished out for something to eat.

"I wonder what's in store," Brendan and Kyon thought curiously.

"That can't be! Looks like I'm out of something to eat," said Ash.

Kotetsu and Brendan both laughed as the former also tried to fish out his own knapsack for something to eat.

"Why isn't there any food?"

"Kotetsu, what's wrong?" asked Kyon.

"Looks like I'm also out of food."

Brendan, Ash, and Kotetsu all laughed, except for Kyon, who was rather in a deadpan mood.

"What's up, Kyon?" Ash asked.

"I'm starving."

"Perhaps Brendan can check if he has food with him as well."

Unfortunately, Brendan checked his bag with no sign of food as well.

"Bored now," said he, "I do have a drink, but I don't think all of you will like it."

Unbeknownst to the four, Meloetta suddenly left out of the cave.

"Perhaps we should read some manga while we wait for Meloetta," suggested Brendan.

"I was thinking of that way too," said Kotetsu.

Meloetta eventually came back with an apple on its hand.

"An apple? Thanks!" remarked Ash and Kotetsu, thanking Meloetta, who pointed where it picked up the fruit.

"Perhaps we should pick up some more," said Kyon.

"Alright, we must do what Kyon just said. Get some more apples," said Brendan.

Ash and Kotetsu took refuge from the rain in a blanket as they left the cave to pick up some apples. Only Kyon and Brendan remained inside the cave.

Suddenly, Brendan pulled out yet another two manga from his bag.

"What's that?"

Brendan answered, "Which one do you want to read, Perfect Crime Party, or Gintama?"

Kyon was distraught.

"If you don't wanna read either one of them, perhaps I would want to give you something to drink instead."

Brendan pulled out a certain orange bottle.

"What's that?"

Brendan sang, "Morning Rescue!"

Kyon facepalmed, saying, "I would want to drink that, but if it involves an obligatory reference to a certain deconstruction magical girl anime, I'll pass."

**In a few minutes later:**

Now back in the cave, they ate the apples that they picked up outside.

When all the apples were eaten. . . . .

"I'm stuffed," said Brendan, "Kyon, did you eat up?"

When he noticed Kyon, he was already asleep.

"That Kyon, he must be already exhausted," he said.

When Brendan, Kotetsu, and Ash eventually went to sleep with Kyon, they were all awakened by Meloetta.

"What's up, Meloetta?" Kyon asked.

Meloetta alerted them that it stopped raining. They then left out of the cave.

"I guess the rain stopped. We must resume to where we left off," said Kotetsu.

Kyon replied, "We're even lost. How do we even get to reach Haruhi, Iris, and the others?"

Kotetsu said, "I have a compass right here." He then pulled out a compass.

"Ash, I think the Humilau Gym is right over there," he added, pointing his finger to the left.

"But we have to head right to go there!"

Kotetsu laughed and said, "The truth is, I don't know how to look for the right direction even with a compass on hand."

Ash, Brendan, and Kyon frowned and deadpanned.

Kyon muttered, "It's a good thing it wasn't a compass that never points north."

**The next morning**:

Ash, Kotetsu, Brendan, and Kyon are now back on the trail. They notice that it was morning.

"We are now one step to earning the last badge," said Kotetsu, "To the Humilau Gym!"

The four then ran off, now approaching to the shore.

"I wonder where's the gym you've been talking about, Kotetsu," Kyon asked.

In all of a sudden, the four were all surprised by a gushing wave of water, which was revealed to be caused by the emerging of a Wailord.

"That Pokemon's huge," Kyon remarked, "Who's that Pokemon?"

Kotetsu replied, "I think it's a Wailord."

"Wailord?"

Riding on top of the Wailord is a certain shirtless man in blue tights, carrying a net loaded with Poke Balls.

Meanwhile, Haruhi, Iris, Cilan, Mikuru, Yuki, and Itsuki were outside the Humilau Gym, waiting for Ash, Kyon, Kotetsu, and Brendan.

"I wonder where that Kyon just went," Haruhi thought.

"Same goes for Ash," Iris added, frowning.

"Man, I'm so bored," muttered Haruhi.

Iris's Axew suddenly pointed its finger, causing Iris to react.

"What is it Axew?"

Iris's Axew pointed its finger because Ash, Kotetsu, Brendan, and Kyon were nearby, riding on a Wailord with a familiar face.

When the four all disembarked, Haruhi was in a worried mood.

"Kyon, where have you been? You're still going to get a penalty," Haruhi said.

"Actually, we ended up going the wrong way, that's why the four of us got separated," replied Ash.

"Hello there! If all of you are unaware of who I am, I'm the Gym Leader of Humilau City, Marlon!" Marlon introduced himself.

"Marlon?" Kyon thought.

_(scene transition)_

When the eight see Kotetsu as he and Marlon make their respective positions in the battlefield, Ash remarked, "The battlefield is cool!"

"Not to mention, the aroma and flavor is very decent at its best," Cilan added.

Kyon asked Cilan, "Uh, Cilan. I wonder why is the battlefield located in the water."

The latter replied, "The Humilau Gym is a Water-type Gym, which means, Marlon specializes in Water-type Pokemon."

The platform to the battlefield removed itself as the match between Marlon and Kotetsu was about to commence.

"Welcome to the Humilau Gym," said Marlon.

"I'm Kotetsu, and it's nice to meet you."

The referee announced, "This is a two on two battle between Marlon, the Gym Leader of the Humilau Gym, and Kotetsu, the challenger. Only the challenger is allowed to switch their Pokemon. The battle ends when both Pokemon on one side are unable to battle."

"Is that fine with you?" asked Marlon.

"Yes," replied Kotetsu, "Let's win this, Riolu!"

Riolu was not with Kotetsu when he said that.

"Where's Riolu?" Kotetsu asked.

"Riolu's right here!" Ash exclaimed, stating that Riolu was with him and the gang. Kotetsu was completely cut off as the platform had already disappeared.

"Gahhh! I'm in despair!" exclaimed Kotetsu, "I can't battle with Riolu, so I'm totally in despair!"

Almost everyone exasperated. Cilan muttered, "What a flavor."

Kyon deadpanned, saying, "Does he rely on Riolu more often for every battle?"

"Ummm. What should I do?" thought Kotetsu. After stretching his headband, he exclaimed, "Of course!"

"What's up with him?" asked Kyon.

Itsuki replied, "Kotetsu has probably gotten an idea which Pokemon should he use instead of Riolu."

"I wonder what is the Pokemon that he is going to use," Mikuru said, referring to Kotetsu.

"Go for it!" Ash cheered. Kotetsu replied, "I'm fine, and I'll take care of everything!"

"Alright, begin!" the referee announced.

"This is my first Pokemon, Jellicent!" Marlon sent out a Jellicent.

"I'm gonna bring out a Ferrothorn!" Kotetsu responded as he sent out a Ferrothorn. The Thorn Pod Pokemon landed on a circular platform that floated on the water.

Cilan, Iris, and Kyon all exasperated.

"How can that Pokemon be able to move all around if the battlefield is full of water?" muttered Kyon.

"I wonder if he had kept that in mind," thought Haruhi and Ash.

"You can go first, challenger, because it would be fine by me," said Marlon.

"In that case, use Pin Missile!"

Using Pin Missile, Ferrothorn fired white-streamed arrowheads targeting at Jellicent.

"Dodge it!" Jellicent dived to avoid the Pin Missile.

"Now use Shadow Ball!"

"Ferrothorn, dodge!"

Ferrothorn jumped from the platform to avoid Pin Missile.

"Now use Thunderbolt!"

Ferrothorn shot out Jellicent with a Thunderbolt, knocking it out. However, just before Jellicent fainted, it was imbued in a dark aura as it shook strangely, also causing Ferrothorn to do the same.

"Jellicent is unable to battle. Ferrothorn wins!" the referee announced.

"Alright, Ferrothorn! Well played!" exclaimed Kotetsu.

Ash exclaimed, "Looks like Kotetsu is gaining the lead!"

"That's weird," thought Haruhi, "I wonder what did Jellicent just do before it fainted."

"You did your best, Jellicent," said Marlon, as he recalled Jellicent back to its Poke Ball, "Here's my next Pokemon, Mantine!"

The Gym Leader summoned a Mantine.

"It's a Water and Flying-type, which means it would be expected to go down after a Thunderbolt," said Haruhi.

"It is?" asked Kyon.

"Well, Kyon, Water and Flying-types are both weak to Electric-type moves. Because Mantine is of both said types, it would be down after a Thunderbolt," replied Haruhi.

"The truth is, there are Pokemon that are extremely weak to a specific type of move, they can even be taken down in one hit," added Itsuki.

Cilan thought, "You're correct, Itsuki, but I was wondering. . . . . . "

"This would be very easy. Ferrothorn, use Thunderbolt!"

Unfortunately, the Thorn Pod Pokemon became unable to use its attack.

"As you can see, Jellicent's ability is Cursed Body, and it is now in effect, therefore Ferrothorn cannot be able to use Thunderbolt," informed Marlon.

"What?!" Kotetsu uttered as he became stunned.

"What's Cursed Body?" asked Kyon.

Yuki replied softly, "Cursed Body is an ability that disables move data from being used if it makes contact on a Pokemon with this ability."

"You mean, a Pokemon can't be able to use the attacking move if it is used against a Pokemon with Cursed Body?"

"Yes."

Kyon muttered, "That can't be right if Thunderbolt can't be used on a Pokemon that's extremely weak to that move. Marlon's tactic is amazing."

This left Mikuru, Iris and her Axew to become very intimidated.

Cilan concluded, "So it was all just as planned. Marlon is obviously a Gym Leader, so that means he has a tactic to compensate for Mantine's weakness."

Kotetsu's Riolu became scared as Pikachu and Meloetta try to comfort it.

Kotetsu gritted his teeth. He said, "If Thunderbolt won't work, use Pin Missile!"

"Counter it with Steel Wing!"

Ferrothorn gets hit by Mantine's Steel Wing before it could attack.

"Use Bullet Seed!"

Unable to attack, Ferrothorn gets another hit, this time by Mantine's Bullet Seed.

"Get up, Ferrothorn!" exclaimed Kotetsu.

"Finish it off with Psybeam!"

Unable to attack, Ferrothorn took the third hit from Mantine's Psybeam, thus knocking it out.

The referee announced, "Ferrothorn is unable to battle. Mantine is the winner!"

"Ferrothorn. . . . . . ," the frowning Kotetsu muttered, "Thank you, and return!"

Ferrothorn was then recalled.

"What else should I do?"

"Mantine can fight in midair," Cilan theorized, "If this keeps up, Kotetsu loses."

"Kotetsu, don't give up just yet!" Ash exclaimed.

Haruhi added and cheered, "If you throw in the towel too early, you can't be the best!"

"What should I do?" Kotetsu thought to himself. When he stretched his headband and released it back, he exclaimed, "Of course!"

"I wonder what's the Pokemon that he's going to summon next," thought Kyon.

"I'm gonna take advantage of the field, so I'm going for Samurott!" Kotetsu sent out a Samurott.

Mikuru, Ash, and Kyon both asked, "Who's that Pokemon?"

Ash scanned the Pokedex and it said, "Samurott, the Formidable Pokemon and the final evolutionary form of Oshawott. A swing of the sword in its armor can take out an opponent. A simple glare from a Samurott silences everybody."

Kyon asked, "Miss Nagato, what is Samurott's type?"

"It is solely a Water-type," replied Yuki.

"Mantine, start off with Bullet Seed!"

"Dive into the water to dodge, Samurott!"

Samurott dived down into the water to avoid Mantine's Bullet Seed.

"You have to keep that in mind that Mantine fares well underwater," informed Marlon.

Kotetsu replied, "That's what I want to expect."

Haruhi thought, "If Mantine is good at battling underwater, I wonder if it will take out Samurott in a pinch."

"Haruhi, you have to consider that Samurott is also a Water-type, meaning it would obviously fare well underwater too," added Kyon.

"Samurott, prove that you are also skilled in the water!" exclaimed Kotetsu.

As Samurott dived into the water, Mantine also did the same.

"Mantine, Bullet Seed!"

Samurott dodged the Bullet Seed as it swam away from Mantine.

"Now use Hydro Cannon!"

Samurott hit Mantine with Hydro Cannon.

"Miss Nagato, what's Hydro Cannon?"

Without hesitating, Yuki replied, "Hydro Cannon is a Water-type move that inflicts high data damage, however, it forces the Pokemon to recharge in the following turn if it hits."

Itsuki added, "Basically, Hydro Cannon is just like Hyper Beam, but in the case of Hydro Cannon, it's a Water-type move."

"Finish it off with Aqua Jet!"

Samurott hit Mantine and sent it midair. This left Marlon unfazed and the gang surprised.

"Now what's Aqua Jet?" asked Kyon.

Haruhi responded, "It's basically a top priority move! Cilan, can you explain any further to Kyon what is Aqua Jet?"

Cilan added, "Aqua Jet is a Water-type move that goes first most of the time. No wonder Samurott was doing great."

"Samurott landed a direct hit on Mantine. Not bad!" remarked Iris. Ash remarked, "That was great work!"

Ash's Pikachu, Kotetsu's Riolu and Meloetta continued to cheer.

Samurott and Mantine went back to their respective platforms, with the latter now appearing to be injured.

"Mantine, Bullet Seed!"

"Counter it with Razor Shell!"

Using its seamitar, Samurott repelled away the Bullet Seed with Razor Shell.

"Mantine, use Steel Wing!"

"Samurott, double up your Razor Shell!"

The two Pokemon charged their attacks at each other. They both landed at the opposite sides of the battlefield.

There was a moment of silence. Kyon thought, "I'm suspecting that Samurott is going for the get-go."

Mantine was shown to be fainted. The referee announced, "Mantine is unable to battle. Samurott wins, and the winner is the challenger, Kotetsu!"

"Alright!" exclaimed Kotetsu as he jumped for joy.

"Mantine, return," said Marlon as he recalled Mantine.

Samurott swam back to Kotetsu as its trainer said, "You did very well, Samurott!"

Now beside the battlefield, Kotetsu approached Marlon.

"You managed to use the field to your advantage," said Marlon, "That was a great battle."

"Thanks."

"This badge is proof of your victory at the Humilau Gym, the Wave Badge," said Marlon as he presented Kotetsu the badge itself.

"Alright, I earned the Wave Badge!" Kotetsu exclaimed as he displayed the badge with pride. He then placed it in his own badge case.

Haruhi convinced, "Kyon, this gives me an idea. Because watching the gym challenge isn't enough, perhaps you should challenge Marlon as well!"

Kyon replied, "We're not even full-fledged Pokemon Trainers."

Marlon added, "Haruhi's idea is a good one, however, we should call it a day. We should meet tomorrow."

That afternoon, the gang are now back in the road, congratulating Kotetsu for his victory.

"You're now eligible to participate in the Unova League," Cilan said to Kotetsu.

"Thanks, Ash," replied the latter, "Thanks, everyone. Ash, let's meet again in the Unova League! See you all soon!"

Kotetsu said goodbye to Ash, his friends, and the members of the SOS Brigade as he and his Riolu set off.

Haruhi thought, "I'm so bored. Is there someplace to rest for today?"

"I think there's a Pokemon Center right ahead," Cilan replied.

In the Pokemon Center, Ash and the gang were offered mooncakes for dinner by Nurse Joy. After dinner, the boys and the girls slept in two separate rooms.

While the rest were asleep, Brendan and Kyon went back to the dining table. The only light focusing on the table itself was lit up.

Brendan crossed his hands, covering his face. He was even wearing a pair of glasses.

"What are we doing here?" asked Kyon.

"I'm trying to think which Pokemon should I let you borrow for your battle with Marlon tomorrow," replied Brendan.

"And what's with those glasses you've been wearing the whole time?"

"I'm trying to crack a certain pose."

"You mean, the Gendo Pose?"

"Yes, Kyon, you're exactly correct. It's captain obvious who always does that in Neon Genesis Evangelion."

"Do you have to make it necessary to do poses based on what characters in anime are doing?"

"Ok, enough of that, because we should go right to the point," said Brendan, as he pulled out all six of his Poke Balls.

Kyon thought, "That was close enough for Brendan to make a non-sequitur."

"Now, pick two Poke Balls, and the ones that you pick will be the ones that you will use for tomorrow's match with Marlon."

After Kyon picked two Poke Balls at random, Brendan said, "You have chosen. . . . . wisely."

"Don't tell me you're making a subtle movie reference, right?"

Kyon had a deadpan look on his face when he said that line.

**The next morning:**

In the Pokemon Center, Brendan, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the five members of the SOS Brigade were in a table, eating breakfast.

"Kyon, you should prepare yourself against Marlon," said Haruhi, "It's for the sake of experiencing what being a Pokemon Trainer feels like."

Kyon thought, "It's very ironic that I'm not even prepared for this."

The nine then left for the Humilau Gym. When they arrived, Kyon asked Brendan, "I don't know if I can be able to defeat that Gym Leader and leave Haruhi impressed."

Brendan replied, "I decided to let you select the ones that are good choices against Marlon's Pokemon."

"The ones at random?"

"Exactly. The Pokemon that I am lending you are the ones I showed to you last night."

"But what about Jellicent's Cursed Body?"

"Don't worry about Cursed Body. If you command the right strategy, you'll be saved," Brendan replied, "Good luck on your battle!"

**On the Humilau Gym:**

Haruhi, Iris, Cilan, Mikuru, Itsuki, Yuki, Ash, and Brendan watched beside the battlefield along with Meloetta.

Kyon and Marlon took their respective positions as the referee announced, "This is a two-on-two Pokemon battle between Kyon, the challenger, and Marlon, the Gym Leader of Humilau City. Only the challenger is allowed to switch Pokemon, and the battle ends when both Pokemon on one side are unable to battle."

Marlon said, "Kyon, this challenge existed because your best friend Haruhi wanted to show you what a real gym battle is all about."

The referee announced, "Battle, begin!"

"Jellicent, go!" Marlon sent out Jellicent.

"Go, Eelektross!" Kyon did the same to the same Eelektross that he loaned from Brendan in the Junior Cup.

"I'll make the first move. Jellicent, Shadow Ball!"

"Eelektross, dodge it!"

Eelektross dodged Jellicent's Shadow Ball.

"Now use Substitute!"

Eelektross created a copy of itself.

"Jellicent, use Scald!"

Jellicent's Scald ends up hitting Eelektross's Substitute. As a result, the latter was spared.

"Now use Hyper Beam, Eelektross!"

Haruhi yelled, "A Normal-type move like Hyper Beam doesn't work on a Ghost-type like Jellicent!"

Kyon gasped, "What?"

Eelektross's Hyper Beam simply passed through Jellicent without hitting it at all.

"Jellicent, use Water Pulse!"

"It's a good thing Eelektross can still attack if Hyper Beam misses," Kyon thought, "Use Thunderbolt!"

Eelektross's Thunderbolt hit Jellicent, penetrating through Water Pulse. The latter was then knocked out, but unbeknownst to Kyon, Eelektross's body shook and was imbued in a purple aura, indicating that Cursed Body was activated.

The referee announced, "Jellicent is unable to battle. Eelektross wins!"

Haruhi dragged Mikuru, who was in a cheerleader's outfit and cheered, "Go for it, Kyon! Marlon has only one Pokemon left!"

Marlon recalled Jellicent back to its Poke Ball.

"Mantine, go!" he then said as he sent out his second and last Pokemon, a Mantine.

"Mantine is weak against Electric-type moves," Kyon thought, "Use Thunderbolt again!"

Unfortunately, Eelektross failed to use Thunderbolt as the move was already disabled by Cursed Body.

"Why can't Eelektross use Thunderbolt?" Kyon wondered.

Marlon replied, "It's obvious that my Jellicent's ability is Cursed Body. You already know what happened to Kotetsu's Ferrothorn from yesterday's battle, so you'll expect it the same way."

Iris was becoming nervous, saying, "Looks like Kyon ended up in yet another scenario of a Thunderbolt disabled by Cursed Body."

Haruhi lambasted Kyon, yelling, "You should have been careful when to use Thunderbolt!"

"But Hyper Beam can't hit Jellicent," Kyon thought.

"So that means, Eelektross can only stick to Hyper Beam or Grass Knot for the offense," he thought, "Eelektross, use Hyper Beam!"

"Mantine, dodge it and use Bullet Seed!"

Eelektross fired Hyper Beam, but it was avoided. Mantine then fired Bullet Seed.

"Use Substitute!"

Eelektross once again created a decoy of itself that took the attack for it.

When Eelektross became exhausted, Itsuki remarked, "It appears to me that Eelektross is becoming exhausted."

Cilan replied, "If it keeps using that attack, it would deplete some of its health. Kyon, be careful."

"Eelektross, use Hyper Beam one more time!"

Eelektross fired its attack, hitting Marlon's Mantine.

"That was a good one, Kyon," remarked Marlon, "Are you forgetting that Eelektross can't attack in the next turn if Hyper Beam hits?"

Kyon gasped in shock when Marlon said those words.

"Finish it off with Psybeam!"

Because Eelektross did nothing to dodge the attack, it was hit by Mantine's Psybeam. As a result, it was knocked out.

"Eelektross is unable to battle. Mantine wins!" the referee announced.

Haruhi yelled, "Even if you lost one Pokemon, you can still win it!"

Ash said, "Looks like both Kyon and Marlon are down to one Pokemon remaining."

Cilan added, "Eelektross was only hindering itself and its health by using Substitute."

Kyon recalled Eelektross back to its Poke Ball.

"Go, Hydreigon!" Kyon sent out Brendan's Hydreigon.

"Looks like you've got a powerful Pokemon in your arsenal, Kyon," Marlon remarked, "But Mantine's not going to stand back. Mantine, use Wing Attack!"

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Rush!"

Both Pokemon clash their attacks at each other. But neither appeared to be taking damage.

"Mantine, use Bullet Seed!"

"Hydreigon, use Charge Beam!"

Charge Beam and Bullet Seed clashed, resulting in an explosion.

"Hydreigon, aim your Dragon Rush to where Mantine is!"

Hydreigon cleared the smoke using Dragon Rush, but Mantine is not where Hydreigon expected to be.

"Mantine, use Ice Beam!"

"Intercept with Charge Beam!"

Both attacks collided, resulting in yet another explosion.

When the smoke cleared, both Pokemon were still flying on the field. . . . . .

. . . . . . . . that is, until Hydreigon fell into the water, eventually revealing to be knocked out.

"Hydreigon, no!" yelled Kyon.

"Hydreigon is unable to battle. Mantine wins, and the victor goes to Marlon of the Humilau Gym!"

Kyon's defeat led to Haruhi frowning as the former recalled Hydreigon back to its Poke Ball.

When both Marlon and Kyon left the battlefield, the former approached the latter and said, "Even though you lost, at least you have gotten the chance to face off against a Gym Leader like me."

Haruhi frowned, saying, "You should've done any better to defeat him. Oh well, at least you did your very best."

When the gang went back on the road that late afternoon, everyone suddenly formed a circle with Kyon in the center.

Brendan clapped his hand and said, "Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!" Iris said, also clapping her hands.

Pikachu and Meloetta also cheered, doing the same.

After Ash, Haruhi, Mikuru, Cilan, Itsuki, and Yuki quoted the same word and clapping their hands at the same time, Kyon muttered, "I don't get the idea what are all of you doing."

"Well, for starters, we were reenacting a well known scene from Evangelion just to cheer you up," Brendan replied.

"So that explains why you were all forming a circle with me in the middle of it, clapping your hands and saying 'Congratulations' like it was nothing," Kyon muttered, "You're all reenacting the last scene of a certainly confusing final episode of that aforementioned mecha series."

Kyon may have lost out to a gym leader, but on the bright side, he has already learned what is the whole premise of Pokemon battling in general. . . . . . . .

On the next chapter:

When Ash and friends visit a supermarket to buy bento boxes for dinner, they are warned that in order to get a bento box, they must participate in Pokemon battle brawls in order to get one. Will all of them make it? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References: Some of the references here are pretty subtle and are hard to find._

_Pinky and the Brain_

_South Park_

_Kujibiki Unbalance_

_The Dark Knight_

_Neon Genesis Evangelion_

_Buffy the Vampire Slayer_

_Bakuman_

_Gintama_

_Puella Magi Madoka Magica_

_Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade_

_Pirates of the Caribbean_

_Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei_

_Death Note_

_Please Teacher_

_Author's note #2:_

_Brendan reads a copy of Kujibiki Unbalance, a manga that is related to the Genshiken manga and anime._

_Perfect Crime Party, also known as PCP, is one of the manga published by the two male main characters of Bakuman._

_When Brendan gives Kyon a bottle of Morning Rescue, it ends with the latter referencing Puella Magi Madoka Magica._

_When Kyon wonders what is Aqua Jet, Haruhi quotes a line that is similar to Mizuho's catchphrase in Please Teacher._

_Kyon makes a reference to the infamous Step Three: Profit meme in South Park._

_When Brendan gives Kyon a bottle of Morning Rescue, an obligatory reference to Puella Magi Madoka Magica is made._

_There are two references to Evangelion in this chapter: _

_- Brendan does the Gendo pose._

_- The infamous last scene of the last episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion is reenacted after Kyon's match with Marlon._


	19. Serious Business

_Author's note #1: __This is the first crossover chapter not to be part of the Tournament Arc, and the series this chapter crosses over with is pretty obscure. . . . . . . , so yeah. Enjoy._

* * *

_**Chapter 19**_

_**Serious Business  
**_

It was early evening. Brendan, Ash, Iris, Cilan, Haruhi, Kyon, Itsuki, Yuki, and Mikuru were still in Humilau City.

The nine suddenly noticed a building in front of them that glowed in the night sky.

"What's that?" asked Iris.

"I think it's a newly opened store that just had its grand opening today," replied Cilan, as he scanned his Town Map, "And it so happens to house a Pokemon Center in it."

"Wow, that looks cool! We should come in!" exclaimed Haruhi.

Suddenly, Ash's tummy was rumbling, catching the attention of the others.

"Looks like I'm hungry," said Ash, rubbing his neck.

"But we're all out of food," replied Cilan, "Perhaps we should stock up on food there."

The nine went inside the building. There, Iris spotted a supermarket section.

"Cilan, you should stock up in there!" she exclaimed, pointing her finger at the supermarket.

"Perhaps we can do some window shopping," said Ash and Kyon.

When Brendan, Ash, Iris, Cilan, Kyon, Yuki, Mikuru, Itsuki, and Haruhi headed for the bento box section of the supermarket, it was crowded with some people.

"I wonder what are those people waiting for," wondered Kyon.

A silver-haired girl in a school uniform replied before them, "They're waiting for the God of Discounts to show up."

Kyon asked her, "Just who are you?"

"My name is Sen Yarizui."

"And what's going on with those people?" Ash asked.

"Every night, people come here to conduct Pokemon battles just to obtain those half-priced bento boxes."

"Pokemon battles?" Iris wondered.

"Exactly. One question, what are your names?" asked Sen.

"I'm Ash, and this is my partner, Pikachu," said Ash as he and Pikachu both introduced themselves.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Iris, and this is my partner, Axew." Axew popped out of Iris's hair to introduce itself.

"I'm Cilan, a Pokemon Connoisseur," said Cilan, as he slightly made a bow.

After Haruhi introduced herself, she also did the same to her sub-ordinates. Brendan did the same as well.

"It appears that all of you must be Pokemon Trainers," Sen remarked.

"Actually, Haruhi and her subordinates don't have any Pokemon with them," said Brendan.

"Just why are you talking to strangers like that, Sen?"

That was when Yo Sato and Hana Oshiroi showed up, the former asking the said question.

Sen replied, "They are newcomers who are also wanting to get a bento for themselves."

"It's nice to meet all of you. I'm Yo Sato."

"And I'm Hana Oshiroi."

The gang then introduced themselves.

"I have one question," thought Brendan, "Why does she sound a lot like Iris?"

He was referring to Hana.

"Me? Sounding a lot like her? That is mere coincidence though," replied the latter.

"Are you all hungry?" asked Sen.

"Well, actually, it's just Ash who's hungry," replied Iris.

"Say what?" exclaimed Ash.

"Before brawling, choose which bento box are you going to target," informed Sen, "Every bento box is enclosed in a lid that can only be opened when a Pokemon pushes a colored button in the bottom. And only Pokemon are allowed to push the buttons."

"What happens if Pikachu gets to push one?" asked Ash.

"If your Pikachu does it, it cannot be attacked by another Pokemon. It can now be able to get the bento inside the lid. If a Pokemon is rendered unable to battle, the Pokemon Trainer is no longer able to get a bento."

Sen added, "Trainers whose Pokemon have successfully pushed a button will pick up the bento inside when the battle ends."

Cilan thought, "I'm going to select the red bento box with cheese on top. The ingredients inside are very fresh."

"Pikachu and I have agreed to choose the one with the red button on the bottom," Ash said softly.

Iris thought, "I'm targeting the one with the white button. It looks delicious!"

"Kyon, are you thinking on which bento box are you going to target?" Haruhi asked, "Because I'm going to select the okra with cheese."

"I'm gunning for the green bento with the omelettes in it," replied Kyon, "Koizumi, are you going to pick a bento?"

"I'm not hungry, no thanks."

"Miss Nagato, are you thinking which bento box are you going to choose?" Kyon asked. Yuki didn't say a word or two.

"Ok, then. If it's fine by you."

"Mikuru, are you going to pick a bento box?" Kyon asked as he tilted his face at Mikuru.

"Kyon, I'm not sure about this, but. . . . . can I share with you when you earn a bento box?"

Kyon asked Yo, "Which one are you going to select?"

"I already had it planned by myself."

Among the crowd was none other than Trip, the same Pokemon Trainer that entered and won the Junior Cup. He was thinking of what bento box would he choose.

When the employee showed up from the stock room, every person attempting to get a bento box was grunting, some others becoming nervous.

"Who's that guy?" asked Ash, referring to the employee.

Sen replied, "He's called the God of Discounts. Pokemon rumble battles do not start until he finishes placing the stickers on the bento boxes."

"Do we have to wait for him to leave?"

"Yes. It is rude to attack him when he is not finished with his work," replied Sen.

"Pikachu, get ready, because it's up to you to push that red button and get that bento box for me," said Ash, referring to the spicy curry bento that was displayed beside the employee as his Eevee pushed the button for him to put a sticker on the bento.

Sen added, "One of the bento boxes will have a special honor seal, in which it is the favorite food of the God of Discounts."

When Trip noticed Ash, he was becoming confident. "It's that kid from the boonies again," he thought, "He'll expect to lose over and over again to me."

Brendan said, "Before you start, I'll lend to the three of you some of my Pokemon again. Kyon, you take Hydreigon. Yuki, take my Alakazam. Haruhi, I'll lend you Electivire again." He then handed three Poke Balls to the three.

When the employee finished placing the stickers, he then left to the break room. But before he did, he looked at Ash, Brendan, and the others. He then closed the door and left.

"It's already starting," said Sen as she sent out a Lucario. Everyone else sent out their Pokemon to the brawl.

Yo summoned a Scrafty.

"Crustle, go!"

"Go, Excadrill!"

"Pikachu, I choose you!"

Ash, Cilan, and Iris brought out Pikachu, Crustle, and Excadrill, respectively.

"Go, Electivire!"

"Hydreigon, come out!" Haruhi and Kyon brought out Electivire and Hydreigon, respectively. Without saying anything, Yuki summoned Brendan's Alakazam.

Brendan sent out a Skarmory.

Suddenly, a stout woman showed up summoning an Emboar.

"I think it's that woman with an Emboar!" Yo said, "She's commanding it to get all the bento boxes!"

A Pokemon Trainer named Jiraiya sent out a Seismitoad to fend off the Emboar.

"Emboar, use Brick Break!"

Seismitoad is hit by the attack and was injured.

"Alakazam, use Psychic."

Yuki's 'Alakazam' controlled Emboar up in the air and knocked it out, causing the woman to flee and recall Emboar back to its Poke Ball.

**Meanwhile, back to the brawls:**

"Serperior, use Frenzy Plant!"

Trip's Serperior hit a Pokemon Trainer's Liepard with Frenzy Plant.

But there were more Pokemon going to hit it.

"Scolipede, use Poison Tail on Serperior!" commanded a Trainer named Dio.

"Garbodor, use Swallow on Serperior!" instructed another Trainer named Charlotte.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

"Eelektross, Thunderbolt!"

Just before Serperior and Garbodor could hit Serperior with Poison Tail and Swallow respectively, they were both hit by Pikachu's Electro Ball and Eelektross's Thunderbolt, knocking both Pokemon out.

"Thanks. . . . ," Trip said to both Ash and Kyon.

When he noticed the former, he said, "Ash, it's none of your business. Why are you here?"

"I'm going to get a bento box, that's for sure!" replied the latter.

"Sawk, use Low Sweep on Serperior!" instructed a Trainer named Kenshiro.

"Trip, your Serperior's gonna get hit by that Low Sweep!" warned Ash.

In all of a sudden, Low Sweep was being blocked, thanks to Cilan's Crustle.

"Cilan, thanks," said Trip.

"You're welcome, Trip," Cilan replied.

Meanwhile, with the other trainers partaking in the brawl. . . . . .

A Starmie attempts to dodge Yo's Scrafty's Focus Blast with Minimize. But it got knocked out after another Trainer's Zebstrika hit it accurately with Stomp.

"Cinccino, use Attract on Lickilicky!" instructed a Trainer named Mio as the Scarf Pokemon managed to infatuate a Lickilicky owned by another Trainer named Taro.

"Now use Wake-up Slap!"

Lickilicky gets slapped multiple times, and is eventually knocked out. Just before Cinccino could reach the pink button though, it was hit by a Haxorus's Dragon Claw.

"Is that . . . . . the same Haxorus owned by the Wizard?" asked Mio.

"That's right," responded Yu Kaneshiro, "That's my Haxorus. You'll be left out with no food for tonight. Haxorus, use Brick Break on Cinccino."

"Cinccino, counter with Giga Impact!"

Cinccino and Haxorus clashed their attacks with each other.

However, more Pokemon surrounded and cornered Haxorus. Ash's Pikachu and Yo's Scrafty were also battling when they were also surrounded with Haxorus by the other Pokemon.

Yu Kaneshiro convinced Ash, "Your name is Ash, right? After all, you are the Trainer who owns that Pikachu."

"Just who are you?" asked Ash.

"My name is Yu Kaneshiro. People call me the Wizard. Should we team up together with your friend Yo Sato?"

Ash, becoming motivated, replied, "Sure thing."

"Seismitoad, use Mud Bomb!"

"Scolipede, Steam Roller on Haxorus!"

"Sawk, Low Sweep on that Pikachu!"

"Cinccino, finish it off with Giga Impact!"

The three Pokemon countered with their own attacks.

"Quick, Pikachu. Use Quick Attack, then use Iron Tail!"

"Haxorus, use Dragon Claw."

"Scrafty, use Crunch!"

Using Quick Attack, Pikachu ricocheted at Jiraiya's Seismitoad and Kenshiro's Sawk. Yo's Scrafty bit down Dio's Scolipede with Crunch, while Yu's Haxorus slashed back at Mio's Cinccino, knocking it out.

The latter then pushed a pink button.

A Trainer named Homura exclaimed, "Ferrothorn, use Explosion on Garbodor!"

Ferrothorn blew itself up, knocking itself out. The impact of the explosion caused Charlotte's Garbodor to be knocked out as well.

"Zangoose, Crush Claw on Seviper!" yelled a Trainer named Mato.

"Seviper, Poison Tail on Zangoose!" instructed another Trainer named Yomi.

Both moves clashed, yet both Pokemon managed to get back up.

"Excadrill, use Drill Run!" instructed Iris.

"Klinklang, use Shift Gear!" instructed a man in a lab coat named Gordon.

Iris's Excadrill knocked out Klinklang with Drill Run just before the latter could use its attack.

"Excadrill, head for that white button!" Iris commanded.

"Beartic, use Rock Smash!"

Just before Excadrill could touch the button, it was hit by Rock Smash. Said Beartic was owned by Georgia.

"Georgia? Why are you here?" asked Iris.

"To get the bento box I've always wanted, silly!" replied Georgia, "You're just getting in the way for defeating me in the Junior Cup!"

"That bento's mine!" yelled Iris, "Excadrill, Focus Blast on Beartic!"

"Beartic, counter with Ice Beam!"

Both attacks collided, resulting in an explosion.

Sen's Lucario cleared the smoke with Aura Sphere as it hit the same Seismitoad that fended off the Emboar earlier in the fight.

On the other hand, Kyon, Yuki, Brendan, and Haruhi continued battling with the other trainers.

A Trainer named Kazuma instructed, "Floatzel, use Razor Wind!"

"Electivire, dodge it!"

Haruhi's 'Electivire' dodged Floatzel's Razor Wind.

"Use Dragon Pulse!"

When Electivire dodged Razor Wind, Hydreigon fired Dragon Pulse, hitting Floatzel.

"Hey, that's my enemy!" yelled Haruhi.

"I was just trying to help you out, that's all," replied Kyon.

"Electivire, head for the one with the blue button!"

Unbeknownst to Haruhi, the Floatzel got up.

"Floatzel, attack Electivire using Aqua Jet before it pushes that button!"

"Hydreigon, block that Aqua Jet!" yelled Kyon.

Hydreigon blocked Floatzel's Aqua Jet. Electivire was now able to press the blue button and reach the bento at the same time.

"Yahoo! Thanks, Electivire!" exclaimed Haruhi as she was one of the first few to obtain a bento, "Thanks, Kyon!"

"Sawk, Close Combat on Hydreigon!"

Close Combat was fortunately stopped by Alakazam's Psychic.

"Miss Nagato, thanks," Kyon said.

"Hit Floatzel with Brave Bird!"

Brendan's Skarmory knocked out Floatzel with Steel Wing. As a result, Floatzel and its Trainer were both eliminated.

"Skarmory, head for the yellow button!"

"Use Thunder, Galvantula!" commanded another Pokemon Trainer named Makoto.

Skarmory was hit by Galvantula's Thunder, and was knocked out, leading to Brendan's elimination.

"No!" yelled Kyon.

Brendan replied, "It's up to you, Kyon. You must battle for me and get a bento for yourself before someone else does!"

Just before Galvantula could press the yellow button and steal the opportunity, it was hit and was knocked out by Yo's Scrafty's Fire Punch.

Scrafty then pushed the yellow button.

Hana exclaimed, "You did it, Yo! You got a bento for yourself!"

Meanwhile, Ash's Pikachu and Trip's Serperior were in for a huge fight.

"Serperior, use Dragon Tail on Pikachu!"

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to get to that red button!"

Ash's Pikachu dodged Dragon Tail using Quick Attack to attempt to reach the red button.

"Serperior, use Dragon Tail again!"

Just before Pikachu could press the button and reach the bento, it was hit by Dragon Tail. Fortunately, Pikachu maintained its balance and stood up.

"Don't let Pikachu get to reach that button again!" Trip exclaimed.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Serperior took a hit in the head by Pikachu's Iron Tail.

"Now head for the button!" exclaimed Ash.

"Use Frenzy Plant to block Pikachu's way!"

Serperior used Frenzy Plant, blocking Pikachu from getting to reach the button.

"Use Leer!"

Pikachu was being intimidated by Serperior's Leer.

"Serperior, head for the red button before Pikachu steals the opportunity!" exclaimed Trip.

Serperior was farther ahead of Pikachu, attempting to push the button and get the bento inside.

"Beartic, use Ice Beam!"

"Excadrill, dodge it!"

Excadrill dodged Ice Beam, ending up hitting Trip's Serperior before it could press the red button.

Serperior fainted as a result, leading to Ash's Pikachu getting to press the red button and reach the bento inside.

"No, Serperior!" yelled Trip. He was already eliminated from the brawl.

"Alright, you did it, Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, "I wonder who fired that Ice Beam that ended up knocking out Trip's Serperior."

When he looked at Georgia, he thought, "Was it Georgia's Beartic?"

"Excadrill, use Focus Blast!"

"Use Rock Smash!"

Georgia's Beartic destroyed Focus Blast with Rock Smash, aiming the attack for Excadrill. But it was avoided easily.

"Excadrill, head for the bento with the white button!"

"I don't think that's gonna happen," responded Georgia, "Beartic, use Ice Beam on the floor!"

Beartic froze the floor with Ice Beam.

"Slide your way through!"

Picking up a slab of ice, Excadrill slid through the ice to get to the white button faster.

Georgia gasped, saying, "But how?"

Excadrill skated through the frozen floor, dodging a Hyper Beam, a Focus Blast, a Hi Jump Kick, and a Hydro Pump, all aiming for the Subterrene Pokemon. It finally reached the white button and pushed it.

"Alright, Excadrill, you did it!" Iris exclaimed as she jumped with glee.

"Talk about using the frozen floor to your advantage!"

Georgia was exasperated when she said that line.

"How do you like that?" bragged Iris.

"What are you, stupid?" Georgia responded.

"Mienshao, use Hi Jump Kick on Crustle!"

"Dodge it!"

Cilan's Crustle avoided Hi Jump Kick, which led to Mienshao knocking out Georgia's Beartic instead.

Georgia gasped in shock.

On the other hand, Kyon's Hydreigon faced off against a Braviary and a Mandibuzz, owned by a couple named Isaac and Miria, respectively.

"May I?" asked Yuki.

In a few seconds, Kyon replied, "Ok. Let's do it then."

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Rush on Braviary!"

"Alakazam, use Focus Blast on Mandibuzz."

"Braviary, use Brave Bird!"

"Mandibuzz, use Air Slash!"

Braviary and Hydreigon charged and clashed their attacks at each other, creating an explosion.

The smoke was cleared by Mandibuzz's Air Slash and Alakazam's Focus Blast, creating another explosion.

Alakazam attempted to reach the bento with the gray button in it. But Mandibuzz caught up.

"Mandibuzz, use Air Slash again!"

"Use Light Screen."

Light Screen suppressed Alakazam from taking a lot of damage.

"Now use Focus Blast."

Alakazam's Focus Blast hit Mandibuzz hard. Mandibuzz eventually recovered.

On the other hand. . . . . .

"Hydreigon, head for the one with the green button!" exclaimed Kyon.

"Braviary, use Hyper Beam!"

"Dodge, it, Hydreigon!" Hydreigon avoided Hyper Beam.

"Now use Fire Blast, Hydreigon!"

"Mandibuzz, intercept it with Protect!"

Hydreigon's Fire Blast was blocked by Mandibuzz's Protect.

"Now use Roost!"

Mandibuzz healed itself using Roost, while Braviary continued to attack Hydreigon.

"Alakazam, Focus Blast on Mandibuzz."

Yuki's 'Alakazam' hit Mandibuzz with Focus Blast just before it could finish recovering using Roost. Mandibuzz is now defeated, leading to its Trainer now eliminated.

Alakazam rushed itself to the gray button, dodging a Hydro Cannon.

"Braviary, use Brave Bird on Alakazam!"

"Crustle, use Rock Wrecker on Braviary!"

Braviary ends up getting hit at the side by Crustle's Rock Wrecker. It eventually fainted, resulting in its Trainer now eliminated.

"Cilan, I was supposed to target Braviary," said Kyon.

"I was just trying to add some extra help," replied the Pokemon Connoisseur.

"Luxray, head for the one with the purple button!" instructed another Pokemon Trainer named Taiga.

"I don't want her Pokemon to get that bento that I've always wanted," thought Cilan, "Crustle, use X-Scissor!"

X-Scissor hit Luxray just before it could hit the button.

"Use Superpower!"

Cilan gasped in shock. "But how can a Luxray be able to use that attack?"

Luxray latched Crustle with its tail, tossing it down to the ground. Crustle was then knocked out, leading to Cilan now eliminated.

"No, Crustle!" screamed Cilan.

"Lucario, use Extremespeed!"

Sen's Lucario took down Luxray and managed to take it out. Lucario then pushed the purple button for Crustle.

"Cilan, looks like you will have to watch the rest of the battle," Sen said to a frowning Cilan.

There were only a few trainers remaining and three buttons left unpushed.

"Scolipede, use Steam Roller on Alakazam!"

"Dodge it."

Yuki's 'Alakazam' avoided Scolipede's Steamroller, which ended up knocking out Kenshiro's Sawk.

"Hydreigon, Fire Blast at Zangoose."

"Zangoose, use Close Combat."

"Seviper, use Flamethrower.

Hydreigon attempted to avoid Zangoose's Close Combat until Yomi's Seviper used Flamethrower in order to intercept the two.

Unfortunately, both Pokemon dodged Flamethrower at the last minute as they both sensed the intensity of the attack.

"Alakazam, use Psychic," instructed Yuki.

Yomi's Seviper was lifted up in the air by Alakazam's Psychic, and was sent down to be knocked out.

"Hydreigon, use Fire Blast!"

Zangoose was finished off by Hydreigon's Fire Blast and was knocked out as well, causing Mato to get eliminated.

"Scolipede, head for the green button!"

"Hydreigon, use Fire Blast!"

"Alakazam, use Psychic."

Scolipede is stopped from moving, being controlled by Alakazam's Psychic. With no way of escaping, it was knocked out after a Fire Blast.

Hydreigon and Alakazam pushed the green and the gray buttons respectively.

"Miss Nagato, do you like the bento that you selected?"

"Yes," answered Yuki.

Hana sent out a Whimsicott and because a lot of the Pokemon remaining were too weak to attack it, it became free to push a black button.

"Alright!" she exclaimed.

Kyon asked Hana, "Why aren't you battling like Yarizui?"

The latter answered, "I'm not much of a battler like most of you."

Ash, Haruhi, Kyon, Yuki, Sen, Iris, Yo, and Hana picked up the bento they earned and purchased them in the counter. Brendan and Cilan lost out, so they ended up buying cup noodles instead, also buying cup noodles for Itsuki and Mikuru.

Before the gang of nine could leave the building, Sen informed, "Perhaps all of you should become members of the Half-priced Food Lovers Club."

Ash responded, "Thank you, but as you can see, I have to go and participate in the Pokemon League."

"And I have to fulfill my ambition to become a Dragon Master," added Iris.

Sen made up her mind and said, "Even though most of you are following your ambitions in life, I have decided that all of you will become honorary members of the said club."

When the gang left the building, Yo asked Sen, "Should we give each of the seven of them a title like we do? After all, you're referred by your nom de guerre as the Ice Witch."

Outside, Ash noticed Trip leaving. He exclaimed, "Trip, don't forget the promise that we will meet again in the Unova League!"

Trip waved his hand, not looking back as he went off without saying a word or two.

He thought to himself, "Looks like the kid from the boonies has just gotten his own luck tonight. Oh well, at least I can still have the chance beat him in the Unova League."

Georgia also went off, but before she could do so, she approached Iris and said, "You may have earned the bento I've always been wanting to try out, but I'm not gonna lose to you again someday!"

Yu Kaneshiro approached Ash and said, "I thank you for your teamwork in the battle. You and your friends who battled tonight would make great wolves."

"Thanks," responded Ash, "What are wolves?"

"In brawling for bento boxes, wolves are, simply put, those who are experienced in fighting for bento boxes."

Waving his hand, he added, "We will meet again someday. . . . . . , Ash."

Wearing a motorcycle helmet, Yu Kaneshiro rode away on his motorcycle bringing along the bento he purchased prior to the end of the battle.

"Who was he?" asked Haruhi.

Ash responded, "Someone who befriended me in the Pokemon bento brawl."

"Ash was probably talking to some stranger. What a kid," Iris said.

"What was that?!"

Now back on the road, the nine decided to head back to the Pokemon Center.

There, Ash, Kyon, Haruhi, Iris, and Yuki fed themselves the bento they earned.

Just before Kyon could open his own bento, he noticed a special sticker on the plastic cover.

"Haruhi, do you have the same seal in your bento as mine?"

When Haruhi noticed the seal in her bento and compared it to Kyon's, she answered, "No, Kyon."

Brendan responded, "I think it's the honor seal that Sen just talked all about."

"It is?"

"Didn't you hear Sen mention that one of the bento boxes would have a special seal?"

"It is more likely that your bento is the one with the honor seal, Kyon," said Iris, "Besides, all of us had the same seal, and yours is the only one that's different."

The bento that Kyon earned at the battle was indeed the one with the honor seal. Only that he had no idea how did that happen.

On the next chapter:

It is time for the annual Pokemon Cosplay Race in Humilau City. When Haruhi confirms that the SOS Brigade will join the competition, Kyon finds out that Sasaki and Fujiwara are also confirmed to be participating. Will he be able to defeat the two of them in the cosplay race? Find out in the next episode of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References:_

_Neon Genesis Evangelion_

_The trainers in this chapter are named after characters in the following series:_

_Half-Life, __Naruto, __Sailor Moon, __Fist of the North Star, __Baccano!, __Kaze no Stigma, __Puella Magi Madoka Magica, __Toradora!, __MM!, __Black Rock Shooter, __JoJo's Bizarre Adventure_

_Author's note #2: _

_It isn't a crossover chapter, right? Anyone who said yes would be wrong, because the featured crossover in this chapter is **Ben-To**. _

_There was this question I had in mind after watching the first few episodes of the said anime, "What if bento brawls were conducted in the style of Pokemon battles?" The entirety of chapter 19 is the end result, with a few modifications to the formula__._

_Ben-To is one of those anime in the action genre that, in my own opinion, is quite underrated. It definitely has a plot that is somehow very unique. Yo Sato notices a half-priced bento box and attempts to get one, that is, until he gets beaten up moments later. He eventually discovers that fights for half-priced bento are common in the neighborhood where he lives. Fortunately, Sen Yarizui, a.k.a. the Ice Witch, offers to train him in order to get used to the whole business of brawling for half-priced bento boxes at the grocery stores._

_P.S.: Yes, this is fanfiction, but I do not have ownership of Ben-To or its characters._


	20. Cosplay II

_Author's note: I find it unexpected to know that this fanfic would be viewed for a couple of times just recently._

_Enough of that though. This is Chapter 20, the second chapter of TBWHS to feature cosplay. This chapter is based on the episode of the first series called "Extreme Pokemon"._

_P.S.: The dub name of Cynthia's butler, Jeremy, is confirmed to be **Jervis**. In order to provide consistency with the previous chapters featuring him, he will be referred by his Japanese name._

* * *

_**Chapter 20**_

_**Cosplay II**_

The following morning, the gang left the Pokemon Center, now heading back on the road.

The nine walked in the shores of Humilau City when suddenly, Haruhi rushed after Kyon, holding a flyer.

"Haruhi, what's that flyer in your hand?" asked Kyon as he grabbed the flyer from Haruhi's hand.

"The third annual Extreme Pokemon Cosplay Race," Kyon said, reading the flyer, "What's that? And where did you get that flyer?"

Haruhi replied, "Someone handed it to me, and according to the guidelines listed in this flyer, participating Pokemon Trainers should cosplay as characters from anime, video games, etc. whilst riding on skateboards pulled by their Pokemon. There are two winners; the one who gets to cross the finish line, and the contestant who makes it with his/her outfit still neat and intact. Crossdressing is optionally allowed."

"Are there any obstacles in the race?"

"Well, of course, Kyon. The guide says that there are obstacles in the race. They will only be revealed on the day of the race, and that's tomorrow!"

"But I'm supposed to go for the Unova League!" Ash replied, complaining.

"The Unova League will have to wait," said Cilan, "Besides, none of us has an idea where it will take place."

Suddenly a limousine appeared in front of the gang. It was driven by none other than Jeremy, the same butler who was serving for Cynthia in her villa.

"It's Jeremy!" Ash exclaimed.

"Jeremy, how did you come here?" asked Iris.

"The costumes of the race will be provided in Miss Cynthia's villa."

"How did you know?" asked Iris.

Jeremy replied, "Miss Cynthia is officially one of the hosts for tomorrow's cosplay race."

After a few words of exchange with Jeremy, the gang got inside the limousine. It went away, heading back all the way to Cynthia's villa. Meloetta sneaked inside the limousine, hiding its presence.

When the vehicle arrived at the villa, everyone disembarked.

"Look like we're back in the villa again," said Kyon.

**In the dressing room:**

"Kyon, what should you dress up for the cosplay race?" Brendan asked.

That was when Kyon dressed up as Shizuo Heiwajima.

"Kyon, Itsuki's supposed to dress up as Shizuo," replied Brendan, "Do you want to borrow that outfit?"

"Well, I was also thinking of dressing up in the outfit that Koizumi just wore."

Because Itsuki's supposed outfit was already worn by Kyon, he dressed up instead as Battler Ushiromiya.

"Itsuki looks good on that outfit," remarked Cilan.

"Cilan, are you thinking of what's the next character you should dress up as?" asked Haruhi, who was now dressed as Nanael.

"I know just the thing."

After a few minutes later, Cilan was now dressed as Shinku Izumi.

"Cilan's looking handsome!" remarked Ash, who once again dressed up as Ryou Bakura.

"You too, Ash," Cilan replied.

"I wonder what should Mikuru dress up as this time," wondered Haruhi. When she had an idea, she suddenly exclaimed, "I know what should Mikuru dress up as!"

Mikuru was nervous as she was going to be dragged into the changing room by Haruhi. When she did get dragged to the changing room to change clothes, Kyon thought, "I hope Haruhi would mind the children."

When Mikuru came out, she was now dressed as Anya Alstreim.

"Isn't Mikuru great in her outfit, Kyon?" Haruhi bragged.

"Well, Miss Asahina is looking good," remarked Kyon.

He then asked, "Miss Nagato, are you going to dress up too?"

That was when Yuki dressed up as Euphemia li Britannia.

"I don't think that costume would fit you," Kyon remarked.

"It is," replied Yuki.

Iris went back into the changing room, and after a few minutes, she was dressed up as Mio Aoyama.

"A new outfit? I thought you were better off dressing up as Madoka in her magical girl outfit, Iris," said Brendan.

"I've finally found my second most favorite cosplay outfit after Madoka," replied Iris.

Cilan, who was now cosplaying as Masaomi Kida, asked Brendan, "What should you dress up as this time?"

After a few minutes, Brendan was back from the changing room, now dressed up as Nadeshiko Fujisaki.

"Why are you dressed up like a girl?" Kyon asked.

"Nadeshiko's actually a boy forced to dress up as a girl," replied Brendan, "And according to the guidelines, crossdressing is optionally allowed in the race."

Kyon muttered, "I never expected him to dress up as a girl a lot."

Brendan yelled, "Nadeshiko's not a girl, I tell you! He was just forced to dress up like one!"

"I don't think I should dress up as Nanael for the cosplay race," said Haruhi as she went back to the changing room.

When she came back, she was now dressed up as Ume Kurumizawa.

"Looks good on ya," commented Ash, who was now dressed up as Finn.

"I'd consider dressing up as Misa Amane instead though," Haruhi thought.

"Kyon, do you want to change outfits?" asked Brendan.

"I was wondering if there are some more cosplay outfits," replied Kyon.

"Do you want to dress up as Yuichi Aizawa again?"

"No. That's too embarrassing."

"Ok, then. If that's fine with you. . . . . ."

Kyon then went off to the changing room. When he came back, he was dressed up as Joseph Joestar.

"That's a good outfit you got there," Brendan said.

"I have to admit, that outfit of yours fits you," said Itsuki, who was now dressed up as Yu Narukami.

"Well, thank you for the compliment, Koizumi."

Brendan muttered, "The only thing that's missing in Kyon's costume is a Stand."

Kyon facepalmed.

"You know, Kyon. A form of supernatural power."

"So, now that everyone has dressed up, everyone should think of the outfit that they should wear for tomorrow's cosplay race!" exclaimed Haruhi.

Meloetta, still hiding its presence, was still in a cheerful mood as it looked at all of the cosplay outfits worn by the gang.

Kyon muttered, "If the cosplay race is indeed an obstacle course, I wonder how hard can it be."

**The next day:**

The gang returned to Humilau City.

On the day of the race, Ash was dressed up as Roy Mustang, his Pikachu was stylized to look like the Demi Fiend, Iris was dressed up as Madoka Kaname in her magical girl outfit, while Cilan once again dressed up as Setsuna F. Seiei.

Meanwhile, Haruhi dressed up as Dokuro Mitsukai, complete with Excalibolg, Kyon dressed up as Kazuyoshi "Switch" Usui, Yuki was dressed up once again as Kagura Tsuchimiya, Mikuru dressed up once again as Kaede Fuyou, and lastly, Itsuki cosplayed as Hugh Anthony Disward.

"I wonder where's Brendan?" asked Ash.

When Brendan showed up, that was when he was dressed up like Archer.

"Why did you change clothes?" asked Ash.

"As you can see, I like his outfit better."

Cynthia was walking when she suddenly saw the gang in cosplay outfits.

"Are all of you competing in the cosplay race?" she asked.

"It's Cynthia!" exclaimed Ash.

"Well, yes, Cynthia. We all are," replied Cilan.

"Are you dressed up as a character from an anime or video game?" asked Kyon.

"Actually, I'm one of the judges for the race," replied Cynthia, "I do not need to dress up and cosplay."

When Kyon tilted his head and moved slightly away, he noticed two familiar faces not far from them.

When said people turned their faces, it was none other than Sasaki and Fujiwara, cosplaying as Hatsune Miku, complete with a leek, and the Eleventh Doctor, respectively.

"It's those two again!" thought Kyon, "And why are they here for?"

"Kyon, what's wrong?" asked Haruhi.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm kinda nervous, that's all."

Sasaki and Fujiwara both captured the attention of Kyon as they approached him.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here. It's Kyon and his gang of misfits," said Fujiwara.

"I told you, Fujiwara. I don't like that name," Kyon replied with a deadpan look on his face, "Where's Miss Suou and Miss Tachibana?"

"They're watching on the big screen over there," replied Sasaki, as she pointed her finger on the bleachers, where Kuyou and Kyouko were watching on the screen.

"What's your purpose of joining in this race," Kyon asked, "To beat Haruhi?"

"Not really. We came here just to compete, that's all," replied Sasaki.

"If you're only competing just to get in my way, would you kindly stop that?" added Fujiwara.

"And now, the 3rd annual Extreme Pokemon Cosplay Race is about to begin!" announced Marlon, the Gym Leader of Humilau City, who was beside Cynthia in the announcer's booth.

"Here are the guidelines for the cosplay race," announced Cynthia, "Pokemon Trainers must cosplay as characters from anime, video games and other media, whilst riding on skateboards pulled by their Pokemon. Crossdressing is allowed. There will be two winners; the one who gets to the finish line first, and the participant who enters the finish line with his or her costume mostly still intact."

"I'm so psyched," said Ash as he did get pumped up for the race, "Let's win this, Pikachu."

"Ash, remember that Haruhi's also getting pumped up too," said Cilan, "Not to mention, we're gonna be facing off against each other."

When Itsuki checked out the map that Cynthia provided prior to their arrival in the contest proper, he informed Kyon, "There are several obstacles in the terrain for the race."

"That's pretty obvious for a cosplay obstacle race," Kyon replied.

"To get past said obstacles you and your Pokemon must avoid them in order to ensure that your costume remains intact."

"I already loaned you the Pokemon that you will use in the race, as well as the Pokemon that Haruhi, Mikuru, Yuki, and Itsuki will use," said Brendan as he approached Kyon.

"The two winners of the Extreme Pokemon Cosplay Race will get to receive a plaque," Marlon announced, "while the runner-ups and non-winning participants will get to receive a plaque as indication of participation in the cosplay race."

"Participants, prepare your Pokemon to be used for the race!" Marlon added.

The gang is now ready with each having provided their own skateboard and rope as well as with the rest of the participants. Ash sent out Krookodile, Iris sent out her Dragonite, Cilan brought out Pansage, while Brendan sent out Hydreigon. In the case of the SOS Brigade, the five brought out the Pokemon Brendan loaned to them earlier. Haruhi, Kyon, Itsuki, Mikuru, and Yuki all sent out Scolipede, Eelektross, Mienfoo, Yanmega, and Magmortar, respectively.

Sasaki decided to use her Stoutland, while Fujiwara chose his Haxorus.

"On your skateboards, get set. . . . . . . . ."

"Go!" When it was heard, all the participants left the starting line, including Sasaki and Fujiwara.

But Mikuru was struggling to maintain her balance as she was being pulled by Yanmega on her skateboard. Fortunately, Brendan came in to help her.

"Mikuru, just take it easy, calm down, and relax. You'll get the hang of it," convinced Brendan, as Mikuru eventually gained momentum.

In the commentator's booth:

"And it looks like Brendan is helping Mikuru out. Isn't helping others allowed?" asked Marlon.

"Well, it helps to be generous to other Trainers," replied Cynthia.

Back in the race:

A Poke Ball-shaped balloon was floating in the air, in which two cameramen providing the entire coverage of the cosplay race can be found. The footage was then displayed in a giant screen on the starting line where all the spectators were watching on the bleachers.

Every Trainer in the race was off to a good start, but two Pokemon Trainers with a Scrafty and a Beartic who were dressed up as Aria H. Kanzaki and Tatsumi Oga respectively, both lost their balance on their skateboards, leading to several competitors dressed up as Link, Sakura Kinomoto, and Hitagi Senjogahara to fall off. Fortunately, Ash, Iris, Cilan, Brendan, and all the members of the SOS Brigade were left unharmed. But Fujiwara was taking the lead.

At the announcer's booth, Cynthia remarked, "And it looks like Fujiwara is taking in the lead, dressed up as the Eleventh Doctor!"

"I wonder if he had a certain time-travelling police box," remarked Marlon, causing the audience to laugh at his comment.

Kyon gritted his teeth when he noticed Fujiwara and Sasaki taking in the lead.

"Eelektross, try to move a little faster!" Kyon exclaimed as the EleFish Pokemon tried to move a little faster and catch up.

"Quick, Krookodile, turn left and dodge!" commanded Ash as Krookodile charged and dodged towards two racers who were dressed up as Tuxedo Mask and Lum Invader.

The participants were approaching the first obstacle course of the race, the rugged terrain that was filled with potholes.

"I never expected the first obstacle of the race to be rugged terrain," thought Kyon.

"Keep your balance on this one," replied Itsuki, "Because of the potholes, this is going to be one tough ride."

When Fujiwara arrived on the obstacles, his Haxorus avoided all the potholes as he turned carefully on his skateboard. Ash, Iris, Brendan, and Cilan also managed to get past the potholes along with their respective Pokemon.

While Scolipede sped past the terrain, Haruhi avoided all the potholes as she also turned her skateboard past them. So did Kyon, as he tried to dodge past the potholes on his own skateboard pulled by Eelektross.

Fujiwara thought, "I don't think Kyon's got the chance to get past those potholes and get away from the terrain safely."

Yuki used her superhuman reflexes to dodge the potholes on her own skateboard with agility as Magmortar got through them as well.

More potholes appeared before the Trainers as some of them got past them safely. Unfortunately, a Trainer with a Skarmory who was dressed up as Kazuto Kirigaya fell through one of the potholes, causing three participants with a Chandelure, Altaria, and a Jellicent who cosplayed as Maka Albarn, Laura Bodewig, and Kuroyukihime respectively, to fall back.

On the other hand, another racer with a Honchkrow who dressed up as Tsunayoshi Sawada suffered the same accident, causing a mess that led to two racers cosplaying as Tohru Honda and Conan Edogawa to crash and fall over.

"It looks like several Trainers fell through the potholes in the terrain," remarked Marlon, who was still in the announcer's booth, "Who will be the first to make it through?"

Fujiwara managed to get past the first obstacle, followed by Sasaki. The latter was then caught up by Kyon, Haruhi, Yuki, Itsuki, and Mikuru, who barely got past the potholes.

"Miss Asahina, how did you get past those obstacles?" asked Kyon.

"I didn't know how did I end up getting past them," replied Mikuru as Yanmega sped away, dragging her on her skateboard.

"That Mikuru. She was starting to get the hang of it," thought Kyon.

"It's good to know that you got past the first obstacle," Itsuki said to Kyon, "The next one is much harder."

"What is it, Koizumi?"

"The next obstacle takes place in a winding road. There are oil slicks in the curves which would make the roads a bit slippery, so it is best to avoid them carefully."

"That can't be right," responded the deadpan Kyon.

On the announcer's booth, Marlon exclaimed, "It looks like some of the Trainers have gotten past the first obstacle!"

Meloetta was hiding its presence on top of the bleachers, watching the entire coverage of the cosplay race.

Suddenly, a Trainer with an Accelgor who cosplayed as Char Aznable, complete with blonde hair and mask, managed to speed up and get past Sasaki and Fujiwara, now taking in the lead.

"That Trainer who dressed up as Quattro, he's always a Char," remarked Brendan, who then instructed Hydreigon to catch up after the said Trainer.

"Of course, I am a Char! And that's why my Accelgor's three times faster, dopes!" yelled the Trainer as he sped away with his Accelgor.

Unfortunately, when he arrived at the second obstacle course, his skateboard went in one of the oil slicks, causing him to fall over. The crash also caused another racer with a Samurott who was dressed up as Kenshin Himura to fall over from his skateboard on another oil slick.

"And it looks like there's a Trainer who went on the next obstacle course!" announced Marlon back on the announcer's booth.

Now at the second obstacle course, the gang attempted to dodge the oil slicks on their respective skateboards as fast as they could.

Itsuki ended up slipping after the wheels of his skateboard ended up on one of the oil slicks.

"Koizumi!" yelled Kyon.

"Don't worry, I'll catch up," replied Itsuki as he was left behind, struggling to get back up.

"Now, I wonder how should I avoid those oil slicks," Kyon thought. That was when Yuki caught up, floating above the ground along with Magmortar.

"How did you and Magmortar float above the ground like that?" asked Kyon.

"Brendan's Magmortar is now able to use Psychic," replied Yuki.

Mikuru is struggling herself to dodge all the oil slicks. But she slipped herself after landing on one.

"Miss Asahina!" Kyon yelled.

Meanwhile, Ash, Iris, Brendan, Cilan, and their respective Pokemon were also at their attempts to dodge all the oil slicks easily. However, Cilan's Pansage landed its foot on one of them, causing it to slip. Cilan, Ash, Iris, and Brendan stopped themselves.

"Cilan, is Pansage alright?" asked Ash.

"Cilan will be fine," replied Cilan, "Go ahead!"

Ash, Brendan, and Iris are now back in the race, managing to catch up after Haruhi, Yuki, and Kyon, who in turn, are attempting to catch up after Sasaki and Fujiwara, who are still in the lead.

Now leaving the second obstacle course, the remaining participants arrived at the third and final obstacle course.

"Brendan, do you have any idea what's on the next course?" Kyon asked.

"In the last obstacle course, there are mud puddles, and the objective is to land your skateboard on them to splash your opponent's costume. You must make sure you have to keep distance from the other trainers who would attempt to stain your costume with mud using the moving wheels on their skateboards. Of course, you have to get to the finish line first."

"That can't be good," muttered Kyon.

"You said that all over again every time you come to a harder obstacle course," said Brendan.

Back at the announcer's table, Marlon announced, "It looks like the remaining participants are now on the third and final course! Will one of the trainers make it unscathed by the mud?"

Iris, already caught up after Fujiwara, attempts to splash his costume with mud. But, to his advantage, Fujiwara landed his skateboard on one of the mud puddles, causing Iris's costume to get immersed by the mud.

"That was rude!" Iris exclaimed.

Back at the announcer's booth:

"And it looks like the participants are having fun in the mud!" exclaimed Marlon. Cynthia sweatdropped when she looked at the screen the trainers who were splashed by the mud.

Haruhi managed to get ahead, her costume still intact. A Trainer with an Drapion who cosplayed as Integra attempted to splash Haruhi's costume with mud, however, Haruhi avoided it and she eventually splashed her back with mud when she landed her skateboard on another puddle.

Meanwhile, on the other trainers:

A Trainer with a Swoobat who cosplayed as Moka attempted to avoid her costume from getting stained with mud by another Trainer with a Gliscor who cosplayed as Hei. On the other hand, another participant with a Drifblim who was dressed up as Allen Walker got his torso stained in mud by Ash after his skateboard landed on another puddle.

When Ash and Kyon find a shortcut, the two commanded Krookodile and Eelektross, respectively, to redirect, leaving Iris and Haruhi confused.

"I wonder why's Ash and Kyon leaving," thought Haruhi and Iris.

That was when the two saw Ash and Kyon fly on a slope, now taking in the lead.

Fujiwara was not amused. "Haxorus, catch up after those two!" he exclaimed, as the Axe Jaw Pokemon ran a little faster, eventually catching up.

"Excadrill, catch up as well!" exclaimed Iris, as she also did the same, eventually going ahead of Sasaki.

Sasaki deliberately attempted to spill some mud on Kyon's costume. When she did, Kyon avoided it, leaving his costume with only a few stains in his torso.

Yuki managed to avoid her costume from getting stained by mud as she avoided all the mud puddles. However, her skirt eventually became soaked from the mud.

Brendan's costume was partially splashed by a participant with an Emboar who was dressed up as the Pyro. Fortunately, said participant was splashed back by mud as Ash spotted a puddle and landed on one of them.

Meanwhile, with the other participants in the race:

Two female participants with a Lilligant and Sunflora who cosplayed as Cures Blossom and Marine crashed into each other from their skateboards and ended up splashing themselves into a mud puddle, causing several others who were dressed up as Kururu, Maetel, Akari Kamigishi, Loran Cehack, Renton Thurston, and Ventus to slow down.

Another accident in the race took place when a Kamen Rider Blade cosplayer with a Bisharp lost control of his skateboard as he splashed himself in another puddle, leading to several racers who dressed up as Marisa Kirisame, Shoutmon, Nano, Rebecca Miyamoto, Kiki, and Il Palazzo to fall back.

Back at the announcer's booth, Marlon remarked, "And it looks like the participants are having fun getting their costumes soaked up with mud!"

When Haruhi noticed Sasaki, she thought, "I wonder if I should soil her costume with mud as well."

"Scolipede, move a little faster!" When Haruhi was accumulating some speed on her skateboard, she attempted to splash some mud on Sasaki's costume.

"Looks like I'll have to avoid Kyon's 'girlfriend' from getting into my costume," thought Sasaki, "Stoutland, move a little slower!"

When Kyon noticed Sasaki about to reach a puddle just to splash some mud on Haruhi's costume, he attempted to intercept her.

"Dodge it, Haruhi!" exclaimed Kyon.

"Dodge what?"

When Sasaki landed her skateboard on a puddle, that was when Haruhi ended up avoiding the splash and almost had her costume stained with mud. Only a splot was there in her shoe.

Fujiwara was still in the lead along with his Haxorus when he was suddenly being overtaken by Ash, whose Krookodile suddenly started to speed up.

"Haxorus, move a little faster!"

Fujiwara noticed a puddle and attempted to stain Ash's costume. But Ash curved to another shortcut, causing Fujiwara to wonder where Ash went.

Suddenly, he lost his balance and tripped into a puddle, soiling his own costume.

At the announcer's booth, Marlon announced, "And it looks like the participants are now close to the finish line! Who will be the first to make it?"

Ash jumped on a ramp to gain the lead and is now back on the race. However, Sasaki was catching up to him with her Stoutland picking up some speed. She then landed on a small puddle and soiled Ash's torso with some mud.

On the other hand, Iris and Yuki managed to catch up after her.

"Iris, what happened to your costume?" asked Ash.

"Someone went into a puddle and splashed some mud on my costume," replied Iris, "Ash, your costume is also stained with mud."

"Well, yeah, Iris. Krookodile, go!"

Ash's Krookodile attempted to pick up some more speed as Haruhi, Yuki, and Kyon eventually caught up after him.

Scolipede, Magmortar and Eelektross both worked out on a way to gain the lead from Ash, Iris, and Sasaki. Brendan also managed to catch up along with his Hydreigon.

At the announcer's booth, Cynthia remarked, "And it looks like it's going to be difficult determining who's gonna win the race."

Kyon yelled, "Eelektross, go!"

That was when he overtook Sasaki at the finish line. However, Haruhi went there first with Scolipede leading by the horn.

Meanwhile, Ash caught up with Kyon to become the third to cross the finish line with Sasaki, Iris, and Yuki catching up to him.

"We now have our winner for this year's Pokemon Cosplay Race, and it'Haruhi Suzumiya! She wins the race by a photo finish!" Marlon exclaimed.

"What? Haruhi won?"

That was when Kyon became surprised.

"But that's not all! We also have a winner for our surprise award for the most intact costume!" Marlon exclaimed, "Based according to Cynthia's scoring, the contestant whose costume remains neatly clean and still intact is none other than Kyon!"

Kyon was astounded.

Cynthia remarked, "His costume is still intact and only his torso is stained with a little mud. Here is my approval rating for his costume."

The screen facing the bleachers displayed the said approval rating as 98%.

Brendan remarked at Kyon, saying, "98% approval rating? Sounds like an approval rating percentage of a certain student council president to me. . . . . "

The deadpan Kyon thought, "Now there goes the obligatory Medaka Box reference. I never thought an otaku like Brendan would let us sink that low."

"That was just a coincidence, Kyon," said Brendan.

When all the participants, including Itsuki, Cilan, and Mikuru went back to the starting point to watch the closing program, Haruhi and Kyon went to the center of the stage to pose for a picture with Cynthia as they received their plaques from her.

Ash, Iris, Brendan, Cilan, Yuki, Mikuru, Itsuki, and the rest of the participants went on to the stage one by one to receive their plaques of participation.

"And there you have it, folks! This marks the conclusion of this year's Pokemon Cosplay Race, and we'll see you all on the Pokemon Cosplay race next year!" announced Marlon.

When the race ended, Fujiwara approached Kyon.

"You have gotten in my way again!" exclaimed the former, "That's the reason why I don't like you at all! And don't forget Mikuru too. I seem not to like her either."

He then left off along with Sasaki, Kuyou, and Kyouko.

The cosplay race became a success. Now back in their respective clothes prior to the end of the contest, the nine looked forward to the challenges ahead of them.

Kyon thought, "I wonder if those cosplay outfits we wore for today would be in laundry today."

Meloetta caught up, following after them without showing its presence.

But the misadventures of the SOS Brigade in the world of Pokemon are still not over just yet. . . . . . .

On the next chapter:

The gang meets up with Brendan's pen pal, Fami, who wished to leave the Humilau City anime club in order to set up her own ramen shop. However, the subordinates disagree about her decision. In order to settle the differences, two of the members of the anime club decided to challenge Fami and Brendan to a tag Pokemon battle. Will the two be able to win it? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References: Beginning with this chapter, the references list will be revamped._

_* When the approval rating for Kyon's costume is revealed to be 98%, it ends with Brendan making a reference to Medaka Box._

_* "If you're only competing just to get in my way, would you kindly stop that?" This phrase contains a Bioshock reference._

_* The cosplay outfits featured in this chapter are references to:_

_Durarara!, Umineko no Naku Koro ni, Queen's Blade, Dog Days, Yu-Gi-Oh, Code Geass, The World God Only Knows, Shugo Chara, Kimi ni Todoke, Adventure Time, JoJos Bizarre Adventure, Persona 4 The Animation, Rozen Maiden, Fullmetal Alchemist, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan, SKET Dance, Shuffle!, Ga-Rei Zero, Bibliotheca Mystica de Dantalian, Fate/stay night, Vocaloid, Doctor Who, Hidan no Aria, Beelzebub, The Legend of Zelda, Cardcaptor Sakura, Bakemonogatari, Sailor Moon, Urusei Yatsura, Sword Art Online, Soul Eater, Infinite Stratos, Accel World, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Fruits Basket, Detective Conan, Mobile Suit Gundam, Rurouni Kenshin, Hellsing, Rosario + Vampire, Darker Than Black, D. Gray-man, Team Fortress 2, Heartcatch Precure, Keroro Gunsou, Galaxy Express 999, ToHeart, Turn A Gundam, Eureka Seven, Kingdom Hearts, Kamen Rider Blade, Touhou Project, Digimon Xros Wars, Nichijou, Pani Poni Dash, Kiki's Delivery Service, Excel Saga_


	21. Otaku

_Author's Note #1: __This chapter marks the introduction of my second original character, Fami__._

_Oh, expect it to be yet another long chapter (this time at 7000+ words) since the featured tag battle in this chapter is a full six-on-six Pokemon battle. The word count is stacked up by the huge amount of references listed below the end of the chapter._

* * *

_**Chapter 21**  
_

_**Otaku**_

It was already late in the afternoon. Still in Humilau City, the gang were fresh from participating in the cosplay race.

Meloetta was behind them, sneaking stealthily.

Suddenly, a girl stopped in front of the group, having been exhausted from running.

"Fami? Is that you?"

"Yes," the girl replied. When she noticed Brendan, she responded, "I can't believe it's you again, Brendan! It's good to meet you again."

When Fami looked at Ash and Cilan, she asked Brendan, "Are you traveling with them?"

"Yes."

"I'm Ash, and this is my partner, Pikachu."

"I'm Iris."

"And I'm Cilan, a Pokemon Connoisseur."

Haruhi also introduced herself as well as her subordinates.

Fami exclaimed, "I can't believe I am getting to greet the SOS Brigade! No wonder you are all actually here!"

She introduced herself, "It's nice to meet all of you. I'm Fami, and I am Brendan's pen pal."

Kyon asked, "Pen pal?"

"Yes, Kyon. Brendan and I used to exchange letters to each other until the time came when we met here in the Unova region. He resided with me until he probably left to be traveling with all of you."

Cilan asked, "So, in order to get back to the point, what seems to be the problem?"

"As you can see, there were some people trying to catch up after me."

When the gang walked on the route to Fami's house, the latter explained, "As you can see, I used to be a member of the anime club set up in Humilau City. When I announced my decision to leave the said club, the members disagreed, stating that they can't be continuing the club without me."

* * *

_The members of the anime club were in Fami's house, spending some leisure time in her bedroom. Three of them were playing Super Mario Bros. on Fami's Wii, while one of them was reading a Rental Magica light novel._

_Fami announced in front of her sub-ordinates, saying, "I have decided . . . . . . . to leave the anime club."_

_One of the subordinates replied, "No! You can't do that. The leader of the anime club wouldn't want you to leave."_

_Without saying a word or two, Fami ran off outside her house as the members of the anime club chased after her._

* * *

_"_So that's how you stumbled in front of us," concluded Cilan.

"I wanted to set up a ramen shop just for a living. But the members of the anime club don't want me to."

"That's bad," thought Kyon.

That night, the gang went to Fami's house. There, Fami offered some juice and cookies.

"Thanks for the treats," remarked Ash, "Boy, this house sure is very fancy."

Fani remarked, smiling, "Well, yeah. It is a very fancy house, since Brendan was the first one to describe it."

Cilan added, "Did you make those cookies?"

"Yes, I made them myself," answered Fami.

Iris asked, "What happened when you and Brendan first met?"

"You want to know, Iris? Well it's like this. . . . . . "

* * *

_It was a winter night in Humilau City. Brendan was outside in his winter clothes, trying to fix his scarf._

_Suddenly, a girl showed up in front of him and said, "Perhaps I should fix it for you."_

_"Just who are you?"_

_"I'm your pen pal, Fami."_

_"I really don't know if it really is you. Maybe I should just call myself as 'Friend' instead."_

_"Yes. It really is me. Now, you should fix your scarf in a proper knot."_

_When Fami fixed Brendan's scarf, the latter asked, "Do you watch Marimite? It's like we're reenacting a well-known scene from the show."_

_"Is it really necessary to associate fixing someone's scarf with that anime?"_

* * *

"And that's how I met up with my pen pal," concluded Brendan.

Kyon mumbled, "If you know a lot about that Marimite, do you really watch it?"

He then wondered why Yuki wasn't eating one of the cookies. He asked her, "Do you want to eat some cookies?"

Yuki muttered, "I will feed myself later."

Cilan asked, "Can I borrow your kitchen?"

"Sure, Cilan. After all, you are a Pokemon Connoisseur."

The gang then fed themselves in the dining room with the food Cilan prepared.

Fami commented, "Cilan, your style of cooking is better than mine."

"I prepared the food using the ingredients in your fridge. Is it fine by you?"

"Well, I bought those ingredients that you prepared, but I have no idea on how to use them though."

**After dinner. . . . . . .**

"Is there a good place to rest up for the night?" asked Haruhi.

Fami replied, "You, Mikuru, Yuki, and Iris can sleep in my bedroom upstairs."

She asked Brendan and said, "Can the boys sleep with you in your old bedroom?"

"Sure, Fami. We can dig it."

Upstairs, the gang went to sleep in their respective rooms.

In Fami's bedroom, Haruhi, Iris, and Mikuru were playing a certain racing video game in the Wii.

"Mikuru, you're not supposed to get hit by that banana peel!" Haruhi exclaimed.

On the other hand, Yuki was reading the Bungaku Shoujo light novel that Fami gave to her.

"Yuki, do you like the book that I gave to you?" asked Fami, "After all, Haruhi told me that you are from the Literature Club in your school."

Yuki didn't say a word.

In the other bedroom, Kyon and Itsuki were attempting to get a cot.

"Koizumi, I'd rather go and sleep with Cilan."

"You have to take note that Ash and Cilan are already provided by Brendan with their own cot. We should look for another one," replied Itsuki.

The two eventually earned themselves a cot.

Brendan asked, "What do you guys think of my old bedroom? I haven't cleaned it since I left, so Fami did the work for me."

When everyone went to sleep in their respective rooms, Kyon thought to himself, "I was wondering if Haruhi was still causing more madness and mayhem in the other room."

The next morning, Cilan and Fami both prepared some breakfast as everyone sans Kyon, went downstairs.

Kyon was in bed when he was suddenly shocked by a Thunderbolt.

Waking up, Kyon thought, "Pikachu? Did you do that just to wake me up?"

Realizing that Brendan, Ash, Itsuki, and Cilan already left downstairs, he caught up.

"Kyon, no breakfast for you!" yelled Haruhi as Kyon arrived at the dining table.

"I didn't expect them to come to the table that early," thought Kyon.

After breakfast, the gang, including Fami were about to leave the house when suddenly, the members of the anime club showed up outside the main door.

"Fami, just who are they?" asked Ash.

"They are the members of the anime club. They are not in a good mood today."

The club members introduced themselves as Souichiro, Ibuki, Kaneda, Tetsuo, Yukito, Misuzu, Laura, Charlotte, Ichika, Ryou and Kyou.

"Fami, I don't want to see you leave the anime club just yet. Right now, we have decided that Souichiro and Ibuki will challenge you and your friend to a Pokemon double battle," said Kaneda, pointing his finger at Brendan, "Both of you and the two of us will have three Pokemon each, making it six Pokemon on both sides."

Souichiro added, "If you win, you go ahead with your dream to set up your own ramen shop. But if you lose, you'll be a part of the anime club again. Deal?"

"It's a deal," said Fami, "We'll agree with you, but in only that condition. If we do win, I'll be leaving the anime club to make it fair and square."

Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the members of the SOS Brigade watched Brendan, Fami and two of the members of the anime club set their respective positions in a battlefield outside Fami's house.

Ichika, who was the referee of the match, announced, "This is a tag battle between Fami and Brendan and Souichiro and Ibuki of the anime club. Each Trainer must have three Pokemon each with a total of six Pokemon on both sides, and the winner is determined when all Pokemon on one side are unable to continue."

Meloetta was hiding its presence, watching the battle on the rooftop of Fami's house.

Kyon asked Cilan, "Cilan, if it's a double battle with each Trainer on both sides having three Pokemon, it's like having a six-on-six single battle, right?"

"Of course. Six is the maximum number of Pokemon that a Pokemon Trainer can carry."

"Battle begin!" announced Ichika.

"Go, Tyranitar!"

"Come out, Stoutland!" The two members of the anime club, namely, Souichiro and Ibuki, summoned a Tyranitar and a Stoutland, respectively.

"Scolipede, let's go!"

"You too, Espeon!"

Brendan and Fami summoned a Scolipede and an Espeon, respectively.

"I wonder what was the Pokemon that Fami just summoned," thought Kyon.

Itsuki replied, "It's called an Espeon, and it's a Psychic-type Pokemon."

Ash pulled out his Pokedex and showed it to Kyon.

It said, "Espeon, the Sun Pokemon, and one of the evolved forms of Eevee. The fine hairs in its body enable it to sense the weather and even the foe's thoughts and movements."

Ash scanned on Souichiro's Tyranitar and it said, "Tyranitar, the Armor Pokemon, and the evolved form of Pupitar. It is very powerful, it is even capable of altering the landscape. Maps must be redrawn afterward."

Now scanning the Pokedex on Brendan's Scolipede, it said, "Scolipede, the Megapede Pokemon and the final evolutionary form of Venipede. It is highly aggressive, chasing down its opponents until it hits them with the claws on its neck."

Cilan also thought, "Fami is apparently at a disadvantage."

"Why's that?" Kyon and Iris both asked.

Ash responded, "Tyranitar is a Dark-type. It would give a go against Espeon."

Tyranitar suddenly whipped up a sandstorm.

"What's going on?" Cilan said.

Souichiro responded, "Enter Tyranitar's Sand Stream. Every time Tyranitar comes out to battle, it will automatically whip up a sandstorm."

"I'll make the first move. Tyranitar, Dark Pulse on Espeon. Let's go!"

"Scolipede, defend Espeon with Protect!"

Scolipede blocked Dark Pulse with Protect by jumping in front of Espeon.

Ibuki described, "Scolipede's Protect looks more like an AT Field to me."

"Does it even look like the actual thing?" Souichiro responded.

"Espeon, use Quick Attack on Stoutland!"

"Dodge it!"

Stoutland quickly dodged Espeon's Quick Attack.

"But how?" Fami was surprised.

Ibuki responded, "My Stoutland's ability is Sand Rush. It will have high speed once sandstorm is up, right, Souichiro?"

"Yes. It's a good thing Tyranitar set up Sand Stream just to make sure your Stoutland runs real fast," replied the latter.

"Stoutland, use Take Down on Espeon."

"Espeon, dodge it and use Psyshock on Stoutland."

"Tyranitar, block that Psyshock."

Because Tyranitar is obviously immune to Psychic-type moves like Psyshock, it was simply blocked for Stoutland.

Fami gritted her teeth.

"Scolipede, use Steamroller!"

"Stoutland, use Protect!"

Stoutland blocked Steamroller with Protect.

"No fair! You stole our moves!" Brendan exclaimed.

"We love to steal our opponent's techniques and make it ours," replied Ibuki, "We won't mind if we plagiarize."

Cilan and Kyon both thought, "I wonder if the Trainers on both sides can battle it out even in the sandstorm."

Haruhi cheered, forcing Mikuru to join her.

"Go, Brendan! Both of you can do it!" she yelled.

Cilan thought, "Stoutland's Sand Rush ability caused it to take advantage of Tyranitar's Sand Stream. That's a decent combination."

Iris asked, "But how can Brendan and Fami be able to win this?"

"Stoutland, use Roar on Scolipede!"

Stoutland howled loudly, forcing Scolipede back in its Poke Ball.

Hydreigon was then forced to be sent out on the battlefield.

Kyon asked, "But how come?"

Cilan responded to Kyon's question, "Roar is a move that forces the opponent's Pokemon to be switched out in place of another Pokemon."

"That means Dragon Tail isn't the only move that forces the opposing Pokemon to be switched out, right, Cilan?" concluded Kyon.

"But how did you know anything about Dragon Tail?"

"As you can see, Brendan's Hydreigon once learned the move by the time Brendan caught it himself."

Ibuki asked, "Souichiro, why does he have a decently powerful Pokemon like your Tyranitar?"

"It's because of your Stoutland's Roar that ended up bringing out that Hydreigon!" Souichiro replied to Ibuki angrily.

He thought, "In that case, we can beat that Hydreigon of his. Tyranitar, use Superpower. Let's go!"

"Hydreigon, use Protect."

Tyranitar's Superpower was stopped easily by Protect.

"Stoutland, use Take Down on Espeon."

"Espeon, use Quick Attack to dodge!"

Using Quick Attack, Espeon avoided Take Down. But it was cornered by Tyranitar.

"Tyranitar, let's prove that you are at a type advantage by using Dark Pulse!"

Espeon was hit by Tyranitar's Dark Pulse, knocking it back.

"Espeon, get up!" Fami exclaimed.

Espeon barely managed to get up.

"Use Rest instead."

Espeon went to sleep, regaining all of its health.

Souichiro taunted, "You know, Rest can help Espeon recover itself, but can it be able to attack when it falls asleep by that move?"

"Don't worry about that. I have a secret move that will surprise both of you," responded Fami.

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Pulse on Stoutland."

"Stoutland, counter with Thunderbolt!"

Both moves clashed, resulting in an explosion.

"Espeon, use Sleep Talk!"

This left Souichiro to be stunned.

"But how?"

Kyon, Haruhi, Mikuru, Iris, Brendan, Cilan, Souichiro and Ibuki were all surprised as the sleeping Espeon randomly hit the former's Stoutland with Psyshock.

Kyon asked Cilan, "Why is Espeon suddenly able to attack in its sleep?"

Yuki replied, "It used Sleep Talk. It is a move that enables a Pokemon to use move data while it is in a state of rest."

"Souichiro, what should we do?" Ibuki thought, "It seems that Fami surprised us with her Espeon's Rest and Sleep Talk combination."

"Don't worry, we'll think of a way to get through this," responded the former.

"Fami, that was a good tactic. Commanding Espeon to use Rest to recover and Sleep Talk to do the offense once it is already asleep," said Brendan.

"Well, that was a tactic that I was thinking of when I wanted Espeon to learn new moves."

Espeon eventually woke up.

"Hydreigon, use Focus Blast on Tyranitar, full blast!"

"Espeon, use Psyshock on Stoutland!"

Unable to notice the two attacks from afar because of the sandstorm set up earlier, Tyranitar and Stoutland both took direct hits from Focus Blast and Psyshock, respectively, knocking them away.

"Tyranitar, get up!"

"You too, Stoutland!"

"Let's finish it off with one more Focus Blast!"

"Quick Attack, Espeon!"

Unable to get up, Tyranitar and Stoutland took the second hit from Focus Blast and Quick Attack, respectively, leaving them to be knocked out from the battle.

"Tyranitar and Stoutland are unable to battle. Hydreigon and Espeon are the winners!"

Ash said, "It seems the two are starting to take in the lead."

Souichiro and Ibuki recalled Tyranitar and Stoutland, respectively back to their Poke Balls.

The sandstorm was still active on the field.

"Prepare to battle our second Pokemon!" exclaimed the two.

Ibuki summoned an Umbreon while Souichiro brought forth a Lucario.

"Hydreigon, return."

When Brendan recalled his Pokemon, Souichiro and Ibuki thought, "Why is he switching out? We're supposed to go ahead with our next plan."

"Go Scolipede!"

Brendan summoned Scolipede again.

"Looks like Scolipede was sent out again," thought Souichiro.

"It doesn't matter as long as Espeon loses to Umbreon. Umbreon, use Sand Attack on Espeon!"

"Espeon, dodge it and use Quick Attack!"

Umbreon kicked some dirt at Espeon with its hind legs but it was avoided. However, Umbreon also managed to avoid Quick Attack.

"Lucario, use Bone Rush on Scolipede, back-to-back."

"Dodge all of them!"

Lucario swung its Bone Rush at Scolipede multiple times, but they were all avoided as well. However, Lucario made one more swing of its attack and managed to hit Scolipede.

Fortunately, the latter recovered.

"Espeon, use Psyshock on Lucario."

"Umbreon, defend Lucario by blocking it!"

Umbreon jumped in front of Lucario to block Espeon's Psyshock.

"Scolipede, use Steamroller on Umbreon."

"Counter with Quick Attack!"

Both attacks collided.

"Espeon, return!"

"Umbreon, use Pursuit on Espeon!"

"But how?"

Fami was surprised as Umbreon suddenly vanished out of sight. Launching itself at Espeon, it quickly slammed the Sun Pokemon just before it was about to be recalled into its Poke Ball.

Espeon was rendered unable to battle.

"Espeon cannot battle. Umbreon wins!"

"What was that move?" Kyon thought.

Fami wondered, "I never expected Umbreon to move that quick just to attack Espeon whilst I was switching it out."

Ibuki said, "Pursuit is nothing but a weak Dark-type move. However, it will strike first just before you switch out your Pokemon. So keep that in mind that you should think carefully before switching out your Pokemon, otherwise this attack will inflict a lot of damage."

Kyon remarked, "Out of all those attacks out there, Pursuit is the one that surprised me a lot."

Fami recalled Espeon and summoned a Metagross.

Kyon asked Ash, "Should I go check what was the Pokemon Fami just sent out?"

Ash replied, "Sure, Kyon."

Ash scanned the Pokedex on Fami's Metagross and it said, "Metagross, the Iron Leg Pokemon, and the evolved form of Metang. It is the result of two Metang achieving fusion. It has four brains that can rival that of a supercomputer."

Kyon asked, "Haruhi, do you know what type Metagross is?"

"Hmm. . . . Let's see. . . . " Haruhi took out her cards and pulled out one of them depicting a picture of a Metagross. She replied, "According to this card, it's a Steel and Psychic-type Pokemon."

Kyon thought, "If Metagross is indeed smarter than a supercomputer, Miss Nagato would go well with it."

Souichiro said, "How unexpected for us to see Fami bring out a powerful Pokemon."

He then commanded, "Lucario, use Aura Sphere on Metagross."

"Scolipede, defend Metagross by blocking that Aura Sphere."

As Fighting-type moves don't work effectively on Bug and Poison-types, Aura Sphere was obviously blocked by the Megapede Pokemon.

"Metagross, use Hammer Arm."

"Lucario, counter with Close Combat."

The two Pokemon cross-countered with each other, both eventually landing back on the ground.

"Umbreon, use Sand-Attack on Metagross."

Kicking dirt with its hind legs, Umbreon blinded Metagross with Sand-Attack.

"Metagross, hang on and use Psyshock on Lucario!"

Because Metagross was blinded by the Sand-Attack, Psyshock missed.

"Now's the perfect time to attack that Metagross. Lucario, use Close Combat again!"

Metagross was hit repeatedly by Close Combat. The attack caused Metagross to be knocked away.

"Metagross, get up!" Fami exclaimed.

"Umbreon, finish it off with Quick Attack."

"Scolipede, defend Metagross once more with Protect."

Umbreon's Quick Attack was blocked.

Metagross managed to get up, having its eyes eventually cleared up.

Brendan looked at Fami, "Looks like your Metagross can attack again."

Haruhi continued cheering, forcing Mikuru to join her, yelling, "Go, Brendan and Fami! Both of you, you can do it!"

"Umbreon, use Dark Pulse on Scolipede."

"Lucario, Close Combat on Metagross!"

"Scolipede, use Steamroller."

"Metagross, dodge that Close Combat and use Hammer Arm!"

Umbreon fired a Dark Pulse at Scolipede but it was dodged. Scolipede returned the favor by slamming the Moonlight Pokemon from above with a super-effective Steamroller.

Completely surprised, Ibuki exclaimed, "Gah! What kind of move was that! I never expected Scolipede to recreate what happens when Dio Brando drops a steamroller from above!"

"Stop fantasizing, Ibuki!" replied Souichiro, berating him.

Metagross avoided Close Combat, hitting Lucario with Hammer Arm.

Lucario and Umbreon were both knocked away.

"Lucario, get up and use Dark Pulse!"

"Umbreon, use Dark Pulse as well!"

"Dodge it!" Brendan and Fami exclaimed in unison.

Scolipede and Metagross avoided both Dark Pulses.

"No way!" exclaimed Ibuki.

"Yes way. Now finish it off with Steamroller, Scolipede!"

"Finish it off with Gyro Ball!"

Folding all of its legs, Metagross spun at high speed, charging at Lucario. The attack hit, rendering Lucario as unable to battle.

Steamroller hit Umbreon for super-effective damage, also knocking it out.

"Lucario and Umbreon are both unable to battle. Metagross and Scolipede are the winners!"

"Go, Brendan and Fami! You both must win this!" Haruhi cheered.

Kaneda remarked, "It looks like Souichiro and Ibuki have been curbstomped."

"It's too early to say that, Kaneda," replied Tetsuo, "Both of them may be at only one Pokemon left, but they're still got the chance to win it."

Ibuki and Souichiro recalled Umbreon and Lucario, respectively.

"Prepare to battle our last Pokemon!" exclaimed the two.

"Let's go, Floatzel!"

"You too, Whimsicott!"

Ibuki and Souichiro both summoned their last and final Pokemon, a Floatzel and a Whimsicott, respectively.

Cilan said, "So their last Pokemon are a Floatzel and a Whimsicott. I wonder if they will have a good strategy this time."

Haruhi took two of her cards and showed them to Kyon.

"If you want to know who are those Pokemon, don't ask me," she said, showing the two cards to Kyon.

After reading the descriptions in the two cards depicting a Floatzel and a Whimsicott, the latter asked, "So they are called a Floatzel and a Whimsicott?"

Without Haruhi hearing her, Yuki responded to Kyon's question and said, "Yes."

Brendan recalled Scolipede.

"Go, Hydreigon!"

Hydreigon was once again being summoned.

"They haven't seen anything just yet. Floatzel, start off with Rain Dance."

Suddenly, the sandstorm that surrounded the battlefield due to Souichiro's Tyranitar's Sand Stream became dispersed by Floatzel's Rain Dance, replacing the former weather with dark clouds that started pouring rain all over the battlefield.

"It rained," said Kyon, "Does anyone have an umbrella?"

Itsuki remarked, "I never expected that a single move can change the weather."

"Whimsicott, use Tailwind!"

On the other hand, Whimsicott and Floatzel were imbued by the winds from above as a result of the former's Tailwind.

"What kind of move is Tailwind?" Ash, Brendan, and Kyon all thought.

Souichiro replied, "Enter Whimsicott's Tailwind. This will not take long though. Keep that in mind, since both of you know from earlier that Ibuki and I are loaded with surprises in the battlefield."

Iris, Ash, Haruhi, and Mikuru all said, "This is the first time I have ever seen that move."

Kyon added, "Me too. Like the four of you, I have never heard of Tailwind before."

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Pulse."

"Floatzel, use Ice Fang!"

Just before Hydreigon could fire Dragon Pulse, Floatzel quickly struck first with Ice Fang, biting Hydreigon's left wing. Ice started to form on one part of Hydreigon's wings.

"That Floatzel is really fast!" Brendan exclaimed.

Ibuki answered, "Brendan, if you wanna know why Floatzel was able to attack first, take a look at the weather. It's rain, right? Floatzel's ability is Swift Swim, and it raises its Speed in rainy weather. Combine that with Whimsicott's speed-boosting Tailwind and both of you will have to deal with a Pokemon that has the advantage just by outrunning both of your Pokemon just before they can strike an attack at it."

"So that explains why Floatzel moved so quickly," concluded Iris and Haruhi.

"So it was all just as planned," thought Cilan, "Up until now, it looked like as if Brendan and Fami were about to make a curb-stomp victory. But the combination of Tailwind and Swift Swim suddenly turned the tables, converting it to an exquisite flavor."

"Use Ice Fang!"

"Hydreigon, use Protect!"

"Metagross, use Hyper Beam."

"Whimsicott, dodge that Hyper Beam and use Taunt on Hydreigon!"

"What kind of move is that?"

Brendan was surprised when he said that.

Whimsicott avoided Metagross' Hyper Beam. It then taunted Hydreigon with its finger, causing it not to be able to use Protect.

"If Hydreigon can't be able to use Protect, what can it do to stop Floatzel's Ice Fang?" thought Mikuru.

Floatzel proved to be too fast for Hydreigon. As a result, Ice Fang hit, knocking the latter out.

"No, Hydreigon!"

"Hydreigon is unable to battle. Floatzel wins."

Brendan gritted his teeth, witnessing his Hydreigon get knocked out after a speedy Ice Fang. He then recalled the Brutal Pokemon.

Ibuki informed, "Brendan, I hope you and Fami both enjoyed this wonderful combination we just set up. Besides, it's still standing strong."

"I never expected Whimsicott's Taunt to strike first," muttered Brendan.

Souichiro explained, "That's all because of Whimsicott's ability, Prankster. If Whimsicott uses non-damaging moves like Attract and Taunt, it will attack first. You see, I set Whimsicott's Tailwind up on purpose just to raise its own speed, as well as Floatzel's speed. Of course, Floatzel already has Swift Swim just to keep its Speed boosted in rainy weather, but I wouldn't mind raising its speed to even higher levels."

Iris was intimidated, saying, "Floatzel's Ice Fang was indeed very chilling."

Cilan added, "Not to mention, Floatzel was too quick for Hydreigon to dodge that attack. Fittingly very effective."

Iris asked, "Did Ibuki utilize on his Floatzel's ability on purpose?"

"Sure. I'm suspecting it was his last resort plan in case he and Ibuki are on the verge of losing."

"Scolipede, let's go!"

Brendan sent out Scolipede again.

"Scolipede, use Poison Jab."

"Dodge it and use Aqua Tail!"

Once again, Floatzel struck first, hitting Scolipede with a huge stream of water on its two tails. The latter is then knocked away.

"Metagross, use Psyshock on Whimsicott!"

"Counter with Energy Ball!"

Both attacks collided, creating an explosion.

"Metagross, use Hammer Arm."

"Floatzel, counter it with Aqua Tail."

Floatzel and Metagross clashed their attacks. However, Floatzel's Aqua Tail was boosted by the Rain Dance already set up in the battlefield, overpowering Metagross' Hammer Arm and knocking it away.

"Scolipede, use Steamroller on Whimsicott."

"Dodge it."

Steamroller was avoided.

"Use Leech Seed on Metagross."

Whimsicott struck first, firing a seed at Metagross. The latter was restrained by vines that emerged from the seed as it was about to have its energy drained by the Leech Seed.

"Leech Seed is not a problem for Metagross as long as it will still battle. Metagross, use Psyshock on Whimsicott."

"Scolipede, use Poison Jab on Floatzel."

"Dodge and use Aqua Jet."

Floatzel struck first again with Aqua Jet, hitting Scolipede and rendering it unable to get up.

"Scolipede, get up and use Poison Jab!"

"Finish it off with one more Aqua Jet!"

"Metagross, counter with Hammer Arm!"

"Whimsicott, finish it off with Energy Ball!"

Hammer Arm clashed with Aqua Jet, creating a maelstrom of water. However, because Metagross was already drained of its energy due to Whimsicott's Leech Seed, it was left to be knocked out.

On the other hand, the weakened Scolipede was left to be hit by Energy Ball, also knocking it out of the battle.

"Metagross and Scolipede are unable to battle. Floatzel and Whimsicott are the winners."

"Metagross, take a rest."

"Scolipede, you too." The Rain Dance and Tailwind both subsided as Brendan and Fami both recalled their Pokemon.

Iris thought, "Looks like Brendan and Fami are both down to only one Pokemon remaining along with their opponents."

Kyon added, "I'm having a bad feeling that that Floatzel will curb-stomp their last Pokemon on hand."

Tetsuo said to Kaneda, "I told you, Kaneda. Souichiro and Ibuki may have been curb-stomped early in the battle, but they are not willing to stand back though!"

"Fami, this combination that we set up is already going to prove you too much to deal with. It's better to see you give up and be a part of us again," said Ibuki.

"I only set up Metagross as fodder just to give both of you a surprise. Volcarona, let's go!"

Fami sent out a Volcarona, causing Ash, Iris, Kyon, Kaneda, Tetsuo, Ryou, Kyou, and Cilan to fall flat on their faces.

"How can a Fire-type like Volcarona be able to fare well against a Water-type like Floatzel?" exclaimed the exasperated Ash and Iris.

Cilan added, "On the bright side though, it's of a type advantage against Whimsicott."

"Eelektross, you too!"

Brendan summoned Eelektross, his third and last Pokemon.

Ibuki asked, "What should we do? Even though Floatzel is at a type advantage against Volcarona, Eelektross will obviously beat it!"

"I have the same problem too. Whimsicott can resist any Electric-type move Eelektross will throw at it, but when it's up against Volcarona, it's at a type disadvantage," replied Souichiro.

"It doesn't matter for as long as we can still beat them. Floatzel, use Rain Dance again."

"Whimsicott, Tailwind one more time."

Iris was exasperated.

"What? They used that combination again?"

Cilan thought, "I was thinking they would want to repeat it in case it wears off."

"Battle begin!"

"Volcarona, use Fire Blast!"

"Counter it with Aqua Tail, Floatzel!"

Fire Blast collided with Aqua Tail, but the former was quickly dispersed because of the Rain Dance. Fami gritted her teeth.

"Eelektross, use Dragon Claw!"

"Whimsicott, use Hurricane!"

Eelektross and Volcarona were both blown away by a strong gust of wind caused by Whimsicott's Hurricane.

Iris felt the gust of wind coming from that attack, exclaiming, "No wonder that move can carry a gust that is capable of reaching here!"

As a result of the attack, Eelektross became confused.

"How'd ya like that!" Souichiro bragged.

"How can Brendan's Eelektross be able to get past its confusion?" asked Iris.

"I'm afraid this would be all over if Eelektross is unfortunate enough to inflict damage on itself," theorized Cilan.

Kyon asked, "Cilan, can you tell me what was that move?"

"It's called Hurricane," Cilan answered, "It is a powerful Flying-type move that can cause confusion."

"What happens if Eelektross is confused?"

Haruhi responded, "Hey, Kyon. If a Pokemon is confused, it would inflict damage on itself, right?"

"Volcarona, use Bug Buzz on Whimsicott!"

Volcarona's Bug Buzz injured Whimsicott, causing it to suffer pain.

"How's that!"

"That was quick!" Souichiro exclaimed.

"Floatzel, use Aqua Jet on Volcarona!"

"Eelektross, use Dragon Claw to intercept!"

Unfortunately, Eelektross was still confused, causing it to end up attacking itself.

Cilan thought, "Eelektross is so confused, it's attacking by itself. This can taste real bad if it does happen."

Floatzel landed a direct hit with Aqua Jet, knocking Volcarona away.

Iris exclaimed, "That was an effective move!"

Cilan added, "Yes. This could be a tough match, since Souichiro and Ibuki are far too leveled up."

Volcarona fortunately was still able to get back up.

On the other hand, Floatzel was suddenly weakened. It was later imbued in blazing red-hot fire, indicating that it inflicted a burn.

"I think that's Volcarona's Flame Body! It has been activated!" Kaneda and Iris both exclaimed.

This led to Ibuki ranting, "This can't be! I never expected Floatzel to get a burn! Gah!"

Eelektross quickly got over its confusion as it was ready to attack again. The Tailwind that Whimsicott set up for the second time already wore off.

"Looks like Eelektross is now back in action," Brendan said, "Fami, should we finish this?"

"With pleasure."

Haruhi cheered, "Go, Brendan and Fami! Win it!"

In all of a sudden, Volcarona's wings were glowing blue as it flapped its wings, creating a fierce gust of wind that blew away both Floatzel and Whimsicott, much to Fami's surprise.

"I think Volcarona learned Hurricane," said Ibuki.

"I don't care if Volcarona was learning that move. Whimsicott, counter with your own Hurricane!"

Both Pokemon used the same move, forming a maelstrom of wind gusts that blew over the battlefield.

Iris and Charlotte both exclaimed, "No wonder it's even worser if both Hurricanes merged together!"

On the other hand, Eelektross released a blue beam of electricity at the rainy sky known as Thunder. It then fell downward, aiming for Floatzel.

Brendan exclaimed, "Alright, Eelektross! You just learned Thunder!"

"I knew it. If I don't do something quick, I would lose," Ibuki thought, "Floatzel, dodge it!"

Taking advantage of its Swift Swim, Floatzel quickly dodged Thunder. However, another blue beam of electricity was fired from above, crashing in on Floatzel.

"That was a direct hit!" Ash, Mikuru, and Haruhi both exclaimed.

Kyon remarked, "That Thunder attack was like as if lightning struck twice or something like that."

"We need to think of a way to turn things around, since Volcarona and Eelektross have both learned new moves," said Souichiro, "Whimsicott, use Energy Ball on Eelektross!"

"Floatzel, use Aqua Tail on Volcarona!"

"Eelektross, intercept Energy Ball with Dragon Claw!"

"Dodge that Aqua Tail!"

Eelektross sliced the Energy Ball in half with Dragon Claw, creating an explosion. On the other hand, Volcarona quickly avoided Aqua Tail, much to Ibuki's dismay.

Whimsicott and Floatzel cornered Eelektross and Volcarona into the middle of the battlefield.

"Whimsicott, use Taunt!"

"Floatzel, use Aqua Jet on Volcarona!"

"Eelektross. . . . "

". . . . and Volcarona. . . . . "

". . . . dodge it!" Brendan and Fami screamed out in unison.

The two Pokemon dodged the decently fast Aqua Jet as Floatzel forced itself into Whimsicott for a direct hit.

"That was surprisingly a quick dodge!" Ash exclaimed.

Cilan added, "Because Tailwind already wore off, Floatzel is at only half the fastest speed it used to be."

"But the rain hasn't worn out yet, meaning Swift Swim is still up," answered Kyon.

"Kyon, that's what I actually meant," said the deadpan Cilan.

"Let's finish this! Eelektross, use Thunder!"

"Volcarona, use Hurricane. Let's go!"

Eelektross fired a blue beam of electricity on the rainy sky, causing it to drop back down.

The devastating Thunder met with the rotating gusts of wind caused by Hurricane, creating a spinning tornado of wind and electricity with Floatzel and Whimsicott trapped in the middle of the vortex.

"Ibuki, what do you say about Thunder and Hurricane's damage level?"

"It's. . . . . it's. . . . . . it's. . . . . over 9000 damage!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"What? Over 9000 damage? There's no way you can be right!"

An explosion took place between the two forces as Floatzel and Whimsicott were both forced towards the ground, already knocked out.

"Floatzel!"

"Whimsicott!"

". . . . . . no!" Souichiro and Ibuki both screamed.

"Floatzel and Whimsicott are unable to battle. Volcarona and Eelektross are the winners. The victory goes to Brendan and Fami."

Rain Dance had subsided as the battle had come to a close.

"Alright, Brendan. We did it! We won! We beat them!" Fami exclaimed, unintentionally glomping Brendan.

The latter replied, "Looks like you can now go ahead with the ramen shop you've always wanted to set up."

On the other hand, Ibuki, who appeared to be in a breakdown, muttered, "This battle is a freakin' eyesore. This battle. This battle. This battle. This battle. This battle. This battle. This battle. This battle. This chair - "

Already annoyed, Souichiro interrupted by slapping Ibuki in the face.

"Not even my father hit me!" yelled Ibuki.

Everyone sweatdropped, except Yuki, who was rather looking stoic.

Brendan mumbled, "Oh look. There goes the freakin' Bright Slap. No wonder Souichiro could give Bright Noa a run for his money."

"Why did you do this to me?"

"Ibuki, it's your fault for just doing nothing when that Thunder and Hurricane combined together."

"Oh yeah? You weren't even doing anything either just to stop that Thunder-Hurricane fusion either!" Ibuki angrily responded.

"You suffer from eight-grader delusions, and I know it!" Souichiro yelled to Ibuki, "After all, you're imagining that you're the next Dark Flame Master in your sleep the other night!"

In order to break up the fight, Fami convinced to the two, "If that's fine for both of you, perhaps I should rejoin the anime club, but I would go on to proceed to setting up my own ramen shop at the same time."

"Well, that should be a great idea, Fami."

Almost everyone gasped, tilting their heads at the one who said that. It was the leader of the anime club, approaching in front of Fami.

"Fami, that would be a great idea. In fact, I'm actually planning to donate my karaoke box in your new shop."

"You do?"

"Are they your friends, Fami?"

The latter nodded.

He looked at Brendan, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the five members of the SOS Brigade and said, "It's nice to meet all of you. My name is Athrun, and I'm the leader of Humilau City's very own anime club."

Kyon responded with, "Your name is Athrun? Seriously?"

Brendan added, "It's like, your namesake is obviously that certain character in Gundam SEED."

Athrun replied, "Well yeah. I was actually named after him. But because of that, I ended up being the one in charge of this anime club since they already know how familiar my name really is."

"The problem is, who will get to run the shop if it's just me?" thought Fami.

Athrun replied, "Perhaps we would want to work on your business."

* * *

On the night of the grand opening of the ramen shop, which was established next to Fami's house, some of the members of the anime club were on the karaoke room, performing some songs on the karaoke machine that Athrun donated. They even showed up in the party dressed up as several characters.

Tetsuo and Kaneda dressed up as their namesakes from AKIRA, Charlotte dressed up as Haruko Haruhara (from FLCL), Ibuki dressed up as Kei Takishima (from Special A), Ryou and Kyou both dressed up as Ichiko and Momiji (from Binbo-gami ga), Misuzu and Yukito dressed up as Fam (from Last Exile: Fam the Silver Wing) and Hisao (from Katawa Shoujo) respectively.

Brendan and Fami also went in, dressed as Chrono (from Chrono Crusade) and Female!Natsuru Senou (from Kampfer), respectively.

Tetsuo and Ibuki both commented, "Looks like the main duo of tonight are here in this karaoke party!"

Kyou said, "I wanna go sing Northern Lights!"

Fami replied, "Sure, you go ahead first before me."

After Kyou's performance, Fami proceeded to sing A Cruel Angel's Thesis, Misuzu performed Get Along, while Haruhi performed Namida Namida Namida.

Charlotte did a rendition of Sweet Blue Days, while Yukito performed Graffiti.

Once again, Yuki performed Paradise Lost.

The mayhem continued with Brendan forcing Kyon to perform Ai o Torimodose. This ended with the two performing a duet version of the song instead.

Meloetta suddenly showed its presence in front of everyone, chanting a song using Relic Song.

"Who's that Pokemon?" asked Kaneda.

"I think it's called a Meloetta," replied Souichiro.

"It's so rare, I wanna catch it!" exclaimed Ibuki.

Coshing him in the head, Souichiro replied, "Don't even try to think of catching it!"

After a Relic Song, Meloetta then transformed into its Pirouette Forme.

Misuzu suddenly had an idea.

"Perhaps we should let Meloetta dance like Ranka Lee!"

"I don't think Meloetta can do that, Misuzu," replied Yukito.

"If we can teach it some dance moves, maybe it will be pleased."

Kaneda added, "But what if it thinks of us as total strangers? After all, Meloetta isn't acquainted with us just yet."

Suddenly, the disco ball was lighting up and some music was playing on the background.

Ash said, "Let's party, Meloetta. What do you say?"

Meloetta agreed.

"Ash, don't forget to put ya Water Guns on!" Brendan added.

The fun continued with the disco dancing as Meloetta danced with Ash, Iris, Brendan, and Cilan.

It was a fun night to remember for Ash, Brendan, Iris, Cilan, Haruhi, Kyon, Yuki, Itsuki, and Mikuru. Fami was able to fulfill her dream of running a ramen shop, even though she decided to become part of the anime club again.

On the next chapter:

An incident involving Iris's Emolga ends with the group encountering the five members of the Flower Garden Opera Troupe, the most popular theater group in the Unova region. Maya, one of the members of this prestigious group, makes criticisms about Emolga, offending its Trainer. In order to fulfill Iris's revenge, the gang head off to the opera school in another nearby city where the quintet do their performances. However, there's one problem. Only girls are permitted in the premises, and as a result, Kyon and the rest of the boys are forced to crossdress. Will Iris be able to confront and defeat Maya? And what else will happen? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References and shout-outs in this chapter:_

_* In the flashback, Brendan rather chose to call himself as "Friend". It is a reference to the name of the antagonist of 20th Century Boys._

_* The members of the anime club are named after characters in several anime._

_- Souichiro and Ibuki to Maison Ikkoku._

_- Tetsuo and Kaneda to AKIRA._

_- Yukito and Misuzu to the AIR visual novel._

_- Ryou and Kyou to Clannad._

_- Laura, Charlotte, and Ichika to Infinite Stratos._

_- Athrun obviously to Mobile Suit Gundam SEED._

_* The flashback of how Fami met Brendan is a reenactment of a certain scene in Maria-sama ga Miteru._

_* The phrase "Kyon, no breakfast for you!" is a reference to Seinfeld._

_* Ibuki compares Brendan's Scolipede's Steamroller to Dio Brando's steamroller attack in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure._

_* Souichiro and Ibuki reenact the "Over 9000" scene from Dragon Ball Z upon realizing that Volcarona's Hurricane and Eelektross' Thunder fused together._

_* "You tend to suffer from eight-grader delusions, and I know it! After all, you're imagining that you're the next Dark Flame Master in your sleep the other night!" An obvious reference to Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai._

_* Ibuki makes an Evangelion reference when he describes Scolipede's Protect as a form of AT Field._

_* As a result of his breakdown, Ibuki also makes a Tsukihime reference when he and Souichiro both lose to Brendan and Fami._

_* Haruhi and Mikuru both played Mario Kart._

_* Fami gives Yuki a copy of the Bungaku Shoujo light novel. _

_* Souichiro and Ibuki reenact the infamous Bright Slap scene from Mobile Suit Gundam._

_* "Perhaps we should let Meloetta dance like Ranka Lee!" A Macross Frontier reference. __Meloetta and Ranka Lee are voiced by the same Japanese voice actress._

_* The songs performed in the karaoke are opening and ending themes to several anime. Cosplay is also blended in._

_- Northern Lights (Shaman King)_

_- A Cruel Angel's Thesis (Neon Genesis Evangelion)_

_- Get Along (Slayers)_

_- Paradise Lost (Ga-Rei Zero)_

_- Sweet Blue Days (Love Hina)_

_- Graffiti (SKET Dance)_

_- Namida Namida Namida (Hyakko)_

_- Ai o Torimodose (Fist of the North Star. The obvious hint? "You wa shock!")_

_* "Let's party, Meloetta. What do you say?" "Ash, don't forget to put ya Water Guns on!" Both quotes contain a reference to Sengoku Basara._


	22. Wholesome Crossdresser

_Author's note: __This is probably the third chapter in a row to feature cosplay, but this time, expect some crossdressing._

_This chapter is based after BW episode 98, but this time, the Flower Garden Opera Troupe is consisted of five members instead of the original three._

_EDIT: The 'On the next chapter' segment has been edited out._

* * *

**_Chapter 22_**

**_Wholesome Crossdresser_**

It was already morning in Fami's house.

Brendan was in the bedroom, packing up some things in what happens to be a familiar looking backpack.

Kyon asked, "Why does your bag have wings in it?"

"It's Ayu Tsukimiya's bag," Brendan replied, "I purchased it on a store that sells Kanon-related merchandise."

"Uguu. . . . . ," mumbled Kyon as he facepalmed.

Meanwhile, the rest of the others were at the living room.

"What? The location for the Pokemon League has been confirmed?"

"Yes, Ash. Cynthia contacted me this morning and said that the Pokemon Center has already confirmed that it will take place in Higaki City."

Ash pumped his fists and exclaimed, "Looks like we're now so psyched!"

Outside, the nine decided to bid Fami their farewells.

"Thanks for letting us stay with you," Ash said to Fami.

The latter replied, "You should go now to Higaki City and prepare. According to Cynthia, the nearest route that you can get to reaching there is in Opelucid City."

Iris was surprised.

"Well, I never expected that," she said, "Even though it may be a detour, perhaps should we head right off to the Village of Dragons?"

"Village of Dragons?"

"Yes, Haruhi and Kyon. That's where I was raised," answered Iris.

Ash said, "I wanna go and check out that place before heading for the Unova League in Higaki City."

Fami informed, "Do your best and take care of yourself, Ash. Brendan, Iris, Cilan, and the SOS Brigade, take care of yourselves as well. I will be rooting for all nine of you."

"Looks like we'll be going now," said Ash.

"Bye!" said Iris and Haruhi.

Suddenly Meloetta showed its presence.

"Is that the Pokemon from last night?" exclaimed Fami.

The Melody Pokemon suddenly danced all over Fami, indicating that it wanted to stay with her.

The latter asked, "Meloetta, would that be fine if you stayed with me for a while?"

Meloetta immediately agreed, since Fami already befriended it.

Suddenly, Oshawott came out of its Poke Ball.

Brendan and Kyon both said, "Looks like Oshawott is sad about letting go of Meloetta."

Oshawott was obviously distraught as Pikachu and Axew both attempted to calm it down.

"Goodbye, Meloetta," said Iris.

"Take care of yourself, Meloetta," Ash added, "It was nice to be meeting up with you."

The Melody Pokemon gave Ash a hug as the latter said, "I'll be doing my best to win the Unova League, and that's a promise I want to fulfill."

"We'll meet again someday!" Brendan said to Fami.

"All of you, stay safe!" Fami replied as she and Meloetta waved their hands, bidding them a farewell.

The nine left Humilau City, heading for the detour route to the Village of Dragons.

Ash once again fist-pumped, exclaiming, "Alright, it's time to head for the Unova League and win it!"

On the way to the forest, Haruhi suddenly stopped.

She mumbled, "I'm so bored. Should we stop here first?"

"Sure, Haruhi. Perhaps it is the time we feed ourselves with the ramen that Fami provided for all of us," replied Cilan, bringing out his backpack.

Ash, Iris, Cilan brought out some of their Pokemon.

Kyon asked Brendan, "Why aren't you bringing out your Pokemon?"

"Well, one of them would actually want to eat lunch as well."

When he summoned Mienfoo, it proceeded to feed itself along with the other Pokemon the Pokemon food that Cilan and Fami prepared.

The nine spent lunch with the ramen Fami prepared for them.

Kyon asked Yuki, "Miss Nagato, do you want to eat up? It seems you haven't eaten a thing."

"I'm fine."

Ash's Pignite and Oshawott were feeding themselves some Pokemon food. When the latter's plate became empty, it greedily ate all of Pignite's food.

This left Pignite at an outrage as it fired a Flamethrower at Oshawott.

Ash said, "Both of you, would you kindly stop it?"

The latter fired back with Hydro Pump, which ended up hitting Emolga and sending it on a far distance.

"Emolga!" exclaimed Iris.

When she noticed Emolga in the cliffside, already knocked away by the impact of Oshawott's Hydro Pump, she asked, "Emolga, are you alright?"

While Iris comforted it in its shoulders, Ash berated Oshawott and Pignite for quarreling.

Suddenly, a voice was heard.

"Do you own this ugly Emolga?"

Iris responded, "Who the heck are you branding my Emolga as ugly?"

The quintet showed up, ready to introduce themselves.

"I call myself Maya. Meet Cinccino, the most beautiful Pokemon in the Unova region."

"Cinccino?" Kyon, Mikuru, and Ash muttered in unison.

The latter scanned his Pokedex on Cinccino and it said, "Cinccino, the Scarf Pokemon. It is coated with a special oil that enables it to deflect enemy attacks."

"My name is Mizuki, and this is my Lilligant, the second most beautiful Pokemon in the Unova region."

Ash scanned on Lilligant. The Pokedex said, "Lilligant, the Flowering Pokemon. The beautiful flower on Lilligant's head gives off a relaxing fragrance, but even veteran Trainers will find it complicated to make it bloom."

"I'm Shion, and this is my partner Pokemon, Roserade. It is the third most beautiful Pokemon in the Unova region."

Ash scanned Shion's Roserade and it said, "Roserade, the Bouquet Pokemon, and the evolved form of Roselia. It lures the prey with its aroma and proceeds to attack it with the thorns hidden in its arms."

Kyon muttered, "The one dressed in blue looks like a boy to me."

Shion yelled, "Who are you judging me by the outfit I'm wearing?!"

Mizuki said, patting Shion in her right shoulder, "Calm down, Shion. These strangers have yet to know the fact that you are actually a girl."

"I'm Juri, and this is my partner Vespiquen, the fourth most beautiful in the Unova region."

Ash scanned his Pokedex at Vespiquen, and it said, "Vespiquen, the Beehive Pokemon, and the evolved form of Combee. Its abdomen resembles a hive. It raises its offspring on honey collected by Combee."

"And lastly, I'm Nanami, and this is my partner, Delcatty. It is the fifth most beautiful Pokemon in all of the Unova region."

Being scanned at Delcatty, the Pokedex said, "Delcatty, the Prim Pokemon, and the evolved form of Skitty. It prefers resting in comfortable spots and does not have a permanent nest."

Kyon asked, "If you're criticizing Iris's Emolga, what's your purpose of doing so?"

Maya informed Iris and the eight others, "In order to make sure Cinccino looks more beautiful, we decided to go out and stroll for some fresh air. Cinccino used to be a very beautiful Pokemon unlike your Emolga, until it took a hit in the knee by that ugly Pokemon of yours."

"Yes, indeed. That Emolga looks very ugly," added Juri.

"Who are you calling my Emolga as ugly?!" yelled Iris.

"And that Snivy? It looks like it has an uptight personality, yet it isn't at the same level as our Pokemon. Somehow, all of your Pokemon are lame, and are unsuited for good taste," Maya sneered, "Now go get yourselves some fancy and beautiful Pokemon. Perhaps, it's time for us to go, for we all don't want to be infested by their ugliness."

Nanami added, "Oh, by the way, one of you here definitely looks like Yuri Nakamura. I do believe that it's her who's ripping Yurippe off. After all, I've seen her in the Junior Cup on television, witnessing victory against her." She was referring to Haruhi.

"What did you say to Haruhi?!" Kyon exclaimed.

The five left off, leaving Iris offended.

"Why you. . . . !?"

When Iris attempted to catch up after them, the five already left in their RV. Kyon, Haruhi, and the rest of the others caught up with her.

"It looks like they went away," said Kyon.

"Enough is enough! I have had it with those meddling people and their stupidly beautiful Pokemon!" yelled Iris.

Brendan thought to himself, "Was it me or did Iris unintentionally make a movie reference?"

Now in a nearby city next to Humilau City, the gang went to a fruit vendor to ask some questions about the RV.

"Oh yes, the RV with the floral patterns in it. I know that one, it's the same vehicle owned by the Flower Garden Opera Troupe," the fruit vendor answered.

"Flower Garden Opera Troupe?" asked Haruhi, Ash, Cilan, Mikuru, and Iris, all speaking in unison.

"You don't know them? They are the most talked-about theater group in the Unova region. As you can see, the five of them perform lots of wonderful shows."

She added, "Pretty much of their performances are solely performed by women and female-gendered Pokemon."

Iris suddenly became interested, staring at the fruit vendor.

"The school of the Flower Garden Opera Troupe is just nearby. Take note though, boys are not allowed in the premises."

"Huh? Boys aren't allowed in there?"

"Yes," the vendor replied to Kyon's question, "Not even a single one has managed to enter the premises."

The nine peeked outside the fence of the opera school.

"So this is the RV that those meddling people were riding on," said Iris, looking at the RV parked behind them.

"And this is the place that the vendor talked all about," said Kyon.

"We're gonna beat them up to a pulp!" said Iris.

Kyon and Ash both responded, "But boys aren't allowed, right? Because of that, we can't be able to enter."

Suddenly, Brendan had an idea.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Kyon?"

"No, I think I'm not, Brendan. What is it?"

"Too bad. Crossdressing time. What do you think of that, Kyon?"

"Please don't tell me I have to dress up like a girl or something," Kyon muttered, having a deadpan look in his face.

Itsuki added, "On the bright side, Brendan has an idea of how us boys can get in."

**In the dressing room of the fashion store:**

Kyon saw Itsuki dressed up as Anthy.

"Why are you dressed up like Anthy, Koizumi?" asked Kyon.

"According to Brendan, those were one of the costumes that the saleswoman just mentioned that was already available in the costume rentals," replied Itsuki.

Itsuki then showed Kyon a familiar costume.

"What's this?"

Brendan showed up, crossdressing as Rosalie Lamoriere, replying to Kyon's question, "The same outfit that Utena dresses up as when she crossdresses as a prince, complete with a skirt to boot."

Kyon responded, "Do I have to wear that outfit?"

"Well, that costume actually fits you better."

Brendan then cracked a thinking pose.

Kyon mumbled at the latter, concluding, "You would definitely qualify to become a specialist at cosplay."

Tilting his face at Cilan, Brendan asked him, "How do you like the costume I selected, Cilan?"

"Well, this is indeed a very fabulous cosplay," answered Cilan, as he brought out a fan, dressed up as Antoinette.

Ash, on the other hand, sweatdropped as he was dressed up like Oscar.

Kyon asked, "Are you sure Ash can still get in with that costume? It seems he isn't dressed up like a girl at all."

"Ash can still get in. Besides, Oscar is also a crossdresser, since despite having a masculine name, she's actually a girl," Brendan replied.

Iris showed up in a green dress, her hair already adjusted to make it look formal looking.

Cilan's Pansage sweatdropped when a pink ribbon was placed on top of its head, courtesy of Iris herself.

Pikachu's tail was taped with a heart-shaped cardboard to make it resemble a female Pikachu.

Along with Ash's Snivy, the two sweatdropped as they noticed Kyon and Itsuki come out of the dressing room in the outfits of Utena and Anthy, respectively.

Haruhi and Mikuru showed up, dressed up as Fine and Rein, respectively.

"Now, now, Mikuru. Don't be shy. I picked that costume for you because it looks good for moe characters!"

"Moe?" asked Ash.

"Yes, I forgot to tell you what this term means," replied Haruhi, "Moe is a term used to describe an adorable and cute-looking character."

Kyon facepalmed and thought to himself, "Now it looks like Haruhi is defining what moe means in front of Ash and his friends. I wonder where's Miss Nagato."

That was when Yuki was dressed up in a white dress with some frills on it.

Kyon nervously muttered, "I don't know if I can sound like a woman."

"Relax, Kyon. If you confidently use your false voice like a woman, you'll be safe than sorry."

Back in the opera school, the nine were at the entrance, making their entry.

The woman at the guardhouse said, "Excuse me, where are you heading?"

Kyon, pretending to sound like a woman, replied, "Please excuse us."

Haruhi said, "We're the SOS Brigade, and we were here to ask something about Miss Maya."

"So you're all affiliated with Miss Maya? Go ahead then."

"With pleasure," replied Iris.

"Thank you," muttered Ash.

He didn't pretend to sound like a woman, but the gang proceeded anyways.

Now inside the premises, the nine walked in a hallway.

"I wonder where the heck are they," thought Iris

"No wonder this place can get spacious," said Kyon.

Brendan said, "Kyon, you need to pretend to sound like a girl once we meet up with Maya."

Suddenly, they noticed Juri about to leave, opening the door.

"I don't think the nine of you are familiar. What is the reason you are all here for?" Juri asked.

Bringing out her fan, Haruhi replied, "As you can see, we're from another town. Our latest agenda for today is to perform a beautiful drama in the same way as Miss Maya, and in order for us to do that, we want to see all of you in your rehearsals."

"Our. . . . rehearsals?"

Brendan, Itsuki, Ash, Kyon, and Cilan, all pretending to sound like a woman, replied, "Uh, yes."

Cracking a thinking pose, Juri said, "Haven't we met yet?"

The nine sweatdropped, with Haruhi answering, "No, not really. It's the first time that we've actually met."

Suddenly, Shion, Nanami, Mizuki, and Maya showed up, interrupting the conversation.

The latter said, "Juri, what seems to be the problem?"

"Oh, it's Miss Maya."

Juri then whispered to the latter, "As you can see, I met those girls today, and they want to see our rehearsal."

Maya replied to the nine, "Very well. It is an honor to be seeing you all watch us practice in our performances."

Haruhi said, "Thank you very much."

"The clothes. . . . . . "

Ash, Brendan, Cilan, Itsuki, and Kyon were astounded after Maya said those words.

". . . . . . are all approved and accepted. In fact, you are all dressed up as characters from some of my favorite anime series. It is essential that all of you should treat even the most expensive clothing as casual attire. That is why we wear our stage costumes even when we are not performing on stage."

Ash and Kyon both deadpanned.

"By the way, what are your names?"

"My name is Iris." Iris was the first to introduce herself.

"And who are the other eight?"

"Their names are, Mikuru, Yuki, Haruhi, Kyou, Ashley, Cilla, Brenda, and Itsuki-"

Iris gasped, covering her mouth.

Maya responded, "What seems to be the problem? Oh, you just said Itsuki. That's fine by me, because Itsuki is a girl's name."

She added, bringing out her fan, "And speaking of Itsuki, her name reminds me of that certain magical girl who is a tomboy."

Everyone sweatdropped again, except for Itsuki, who replied, pretending to sound like a woman, "Well, thank you for the compliment."

Kyon thought to himself, "Even though Iris inadvertently mentioned Koizumi's real name, it's fortunate enough that Miss Maya knows that his name is also a girl's name too."

Maya remarked, "Kyou and Itsuki would make the perfect Utena and Anthy, I should say so by myself."

Kyon sweatdropped.

"I hope to expect that those Pokemon of yours are female too." Maya was referring to Cilan's Pansage, as well as Ash's Snivy and Pikachu.

"Pikachu? Well, yes, it's female."

Pikachu pointed at its tail to prove it.

"To make it more formal, perhaps all of you should add the -chan suffix when you call out your Pokemon. They'll behave prettily if you do so."

Ash muttered at Iris, "I don't think I can be able to do that."

When Maya heard Ash's muttering, she was surprised, causing the latter to sweatdrop.

"Uh, yeah. Pikachu-chan."

"Well then. We'll demonstrate and show you our rehearsal area next."

"Follow me."

The nine headed off to the rehearsal room where the five members of the Flower Garden Opera Troupe obviously do their rehearsals.

Maya did a demonstration in front of the gang.

"The first rule of the sake of tomorrow is always be aware of other people's glances. The main reason why the main stars of the show are prettier in every TV appearance is that they are well-polished by the glances of the audience."

The quintet then proceeded to perform their demonstration performance along with their respective Pokemon.

"My Cinccino-chan is the most beautiful, isn't it?"

"I can't imagine how magnificent Lilligant-chan is."

"My Roserade-chan is so elegant I could do anything but sigh."

"Delcatty-chan is quite adorable, I should say so myself."

"I could portray Vespiquen-chan as something better than gorgeous."

"And so, we are all beautiful!" the five chanted, giving Iris a little pinch of frustration.

Ash and Kyon both mumbled quietly, "Both of us don't want to see ourselves in those kinds of costumes."

Cilan replied, whispering, "Take your time, you two. Be patient."

Ash's Pikachu and Cilan's Pansage were also in doubt.

The nine were then introduced to the next room. Before they entered, Maya gave them another lecture.

"The second rule of the sake of tomorrow is that if the way you walk on stage isn't beautiful, you can't be able to shine properly."

With a push of a button in Maya's remote controller, the floor shifted into two, giving way as a pedestal similar to a balance beam emerged from below.

"I wonder what was that?" Ash and Mikuru both thought.

"The Pokemon will walk on this balance beam. Without looking on their feet, of course."

Ash's Snivy and Iris's Emolga walked on the beam without losing their balance.

In a fake girl's voice, Ash remarked, "Well done, Snivy-chan and Emolga-chan!"

"But that does not end until there. This is where we also demonstrate all the hard work and effort we exert here every now and then."

With another push of a button by Maya, the floor extensively divided by itself, revealing the bottom to be a pit full of mud.

Haruhi mumbled, "Is that a. . . . "

Nanami explained, "To continue any further, it's just a pit of mud. If your Pokemon falls down the mud, it'll look like this."

She gently threw a stemless flower on the muddy pit, causing the flower itself to change color and sink through.

Maya added, "In our world, flowers need to bloom. They will stain if they end up soaked in mud. Our Pokemon will walk on one side of the beam, and the one who makes it unscathed in the mud is the winner. Are you all confident enough to do it?"

Haruhi and Iris both replied, "You'll be surprised, milady."

"Now that's more I like it, Haruhi and Iris."

Shion's Roserade and Cilan's Pansage were on both sides of the beam.

"Roserade-chan, take the glory of winning it as always."

"Pansage-chan, do your best."

Maya announced, "Battle, begin!"

Roserade and Pansage both approached to each other in the center of the beam, pushing each other.

When Pansage pushed further, Roserade took advantage of its momentum, causing the former to fall off to the muddy pit.

"No, Pansage-chan!" Cilan exclaimed in a false woman's voice.

Shion remarked, "It was a clumsy sight to see."

"Roserade-chan is the winner of this match!"

Maya then said, "Pansage-chan has to improve a bit more."

Cilan frowned at Pansage, now soaked in the mud.

In the next match, it was Emolga up against Lilligant.

The two Pokemon crossed the beam, pushing against each other.

The latter attempted to take advantage of Emolga's momentum. However, Emolga clung on and glided from under the beam.

Lilligant had a hard time touching the gliding Emolga. This ended with the latter making the former lose its balance by pushing it with its feet.

"Lilligant-chan!" Mizuki screamed.

Lilligant was now soaked in the mud, humiliated.

Iris and Haruhi cracked a noblewoman's laugh, both poking their elbows at Ash and Kyon, respectively. It was a sign that they should do the same too.

"Like what you just said, in our world, flowers need to bloom. They will stain if they end up soaked in mud. Then that means Emolga is now the bloomer, right?"

Maya slightly raised her temper as Juri was about to approach her.

Juri convinced, "I want to go and challenge Brenda next."

"Go ahead, Juri."

Brendan's shiny Weavile and Juri's Vespiquen balanced on both sides of the beam.

Haruhi said to Kyon, referring to Brendan's Weavile, "It appears that that Pokemon of his is of a different color."

She then showed Kyon a card of a Weavile with a normal coloration.

"Miss Nagato, can you tell me why Brendan's Weavile is of a different color?" The latter asked quietly.

Yuki replied softly, "It is a special factor called shiny Pokemon. Data for an occurrence of a shiny Pokemon to appear are extremely rare."

Kyon whispered at Brendan, "Is your Weavile female?"

"You can distinguish a male Weavile with a female one by its ear feathers," the latter whispered back, "Because Weavile's ear feather is short, it is technically a girl."

The conversation caught Maya's attention.

"What are you two talking about?"

Brendan, pretending to sound like a woman, replied, "It's nothing, really."

Weavile and Vespiquen pushed themselves as they approached to the center of the beam.

Vespiquen used its flight to take advantage of Weavile's momentum. However, Weavile clung on and went back on top of the beam.

"Do your best, Vespiquen-chan!"

"Do the same too, Weavile-chan!"

Vespiquen charged at Weavile. However, the latter was quick enough to take advantage of Vespiquen's momentum, gripping one of its claws on the latter's other claw, sending it down to the mud.

Vespiquen was also humiliated.

Juri exclaimed, "Hey, no fair! How come Emolga-chan has managed to glide its way to victory when my Vespiquen-chan can't?!"

Brendan thought, "Looks like we're leading by two victories."

Iris and Haruhi both laughed like a noblewoman, once again poking both Ash and Kyon respectively with their shoulders.

Iris bragged, "It looks like all of your Pokemon have yet to know our true skills. After all, Weavile-chan is also a bloomer."

This left Maya slightly enraged.

Nanami convinced, "I want to go challenge Kyou."

"What? Me?" thought Kyon, "I don't think I can be able to win this challenge."

In the next battle, Nanami's Delcatty faced off against the Mienfoo that Brendan loaned over to Kyon prior to the start of the match.

Both Delcatty and Mienfoo pushed themselves on the center.

Pretending to sound like a woman, Kyon and Brendan both chanted, "Do your best, Mienfoo-chan!"

"Don't give up, Delcatty-chan!"

Delcatty and Mienfoo both took advantage of their momentum. However, both of their forces equaled.

The challenge ended with both Delcatty and Mienfoo both falling in the muddy pit.

This caused a mixed reaction on both sides.

Maya and Ash faced off in the final match. The former's Cinccino and the latter's Snivy crossed to the center of the beam as they both attempted to push with each other.

"Do your best, Snivy-. . . . . "

Ash almost forgot to sound like a woman when he said that.

". . . . -chan!"

"Don't give up, Cinccino-chan!"

Cinccino attempted to take advantage of Snivy's momentum, but it failed. It then charged back at Snivy.

Unfortunately, Snivy managed to retaliate, sending Cinccino falling down on the mud. The former then managed to cross to the other side of the beam.

This left most of the gang surprised while Maya, Shion, Mizuki, Nanami, and Juri were left in shock as a result of their defeat.

"Alright!" exclaimed Ash, failing to pretend to sound like a girl.

Maya noticed Ash's actual voice. The latter instead replied, now in a false girl's voice, "You did it, Snivy-chan."

Cinccino went back on the ground, shaking all of the mud on its body. It was now clean again.

Kyon was surprised.

"How incredible!" Iris exclaimed.

Laughing like a noblewoman, Maya replied, "As you can see, Cinccino-chan's body is coated with a special oil. No matter how dirty Cinccino-chan really is, it will get rid of all the dirt easily by shaking it off from its body."

Kyon muttered, "Are you trying to make it realistic?"

Iris, enraged, responded, "We're not going to lose just yet, you'll see!"

The nine were toured in the next room.

"This is the third rule for the sake of tomorrow."

Maya opened the door, revealing the room to be a sort of battlefield that was at the center of a muddy pit.

"Is that a. . . ." Ash muttered.

Maya added, "Yes, that's right. It's a battlefield. We believe that a Pokemon's beauty lies in its strength. That's why we have set some special rules in the Pokemon battles here."

Juri added, "Here, it is a loss if the Pokemon is soiled along with its Trainer."

Haruhi asked, "The trainers as well?"

"That's right. Trainers can't be able to get up on stage if they aren't beautiful, right?" Maya cleverly convinced.

"I think you have a point," Iris answered.

"Okay, let the 'Flowers need to bloom - They will stain if they end up in the mud' challenge. . . . . begin!"

The first battle was between Juri's Vespiquen and Brendan's shiny Weavile.

"Vespiquen-chan, start the battle using Sweet Scent."

Pretending to sound like a girl, Brendan commanded, "Weavile-chan, dodge it!"

Vespiquen's Sweet Scent caused Weavile to get stunned for a short while.

"Use Attack Order!"

"Weavile-chan, dodge, then use Night Slash!"

Vespiquen's eyes suddenly glowed red. Several grubs of Combee appeared from its underside, all of them charging in at Weavile.

Kyon quietly thought, "What was that move called?"

Yuki replied in monotone, "It is a move called Attack Order. It inflicts damage at an increased critical hit percentage."

"Then that means it would hit real hard if it did, right?"

"Yes."

Weavile dodged all of the Combee, attempting to hit Vespiquen with Night Slash.

"Block that Night Slash with Defend Order."

The grubs of Combee from earlier formed a shield resembling a honeycomb, blocking the Night Slash.

Pretending to sound like a girl again, Kyon asked Yuki, "Now what was that move again?"

"Defend Order. It increases Vespiquen's Defense and Special Defense at a higher percentage."

Kyon thought to himself, "Please don't tell me there's a third move that ends with 'Order'."

"Weavile-chan, use Faint Attack!"

Weavile sneaked behind Vespiquen.

"Vespiquen-chan, behind you!"

It was all too late for Vespiquen to avoid Faint Attack as Weavile hit it from behind with its claws.

"Now use Faint Attack again!"

Once again, Vespiquen was unable to see Weavile since the latter quickly sneaked behind it.

"Weavile-chan, hit it with Night Slash!"

Weavile's Night Slash drew through the upper side of Vespiquen's abdomen from behind like a sword, much to the astonishment of Juri.

"How. . . . . how did your Weavile-chan do that?"

Brendan replied in a false girl's voice, "Weavile-chan learned this trick from Utena. Now finish it off with one more Night Slash!"

Weavile released its left claw from Vespiquen, ramming it once more with a cross-armed Night Slash. The force of the impact caused Vespiquen to collide with its Trainer, sending both of them into the mud.

Juri muttered, "No fair! My Vespiquen-chan would've gotten away with it if weren't for you and your meddling Weavile-chan!"

Iris did a noblewoman's laugh as Brendan scored the first victory on their side.

Iris bragged and said, "Looks like Weavile-chan proved that it's now a flower that already bloomed, while Vespiquen-chan has stained because it ended up in the mud."

While Iris made one more laugh, Shion, Maya, Nanami, and Mizuki were not amused.

Iris poked her shoulder on Ash, convincing him, Cilan, and Kyon to laugh like a noblewoman. The latter three did the same, albeit unwillingly.

The second battle was between Shion's Roserade and Iris's Emolga.

"Roserade-chan, use Poison Sting!"

"Dodge it and use Discharge!"

"Keep your distance!"

Emolga's Discharge was avoided.

"Use Bullet Seed!"

Emolga made an attempt to avoid Bullet Seed until it almost fell into the mud. Fortunately, it was still able to gain its momentum getting back on.

"Emolga-chan, Hidden Power!"

Roserade was hit, having been knocked away.

"Roserade-chan, get up and use Bullet Seed!"

"Discharge, Emolga-chan!"

Just before Roserade could use Bullet Seed, it was hit by Emolga's Discharge.

"Roserade-chan, don't give up just yet! Use Bullet Seed again!"

"Dodge it!"

Emolga avoided Bullet Seed by gliding away.

"Use Energy Ball!"

Energy Ball landed a hit on Iris's Emolga, sending it down to the muddy pit.

"Looks like this is the end," said Shion.

However, Iris was becoming very optimistic about it, since she knew that Emolga can glide.

Emolga was fortunate enough to have glided away from the mud, stunning Shion.

"There's no way Emolga-chan would have done that!"

Cracking a noblewoman's laugh, Iris explained, "Of course, Emolga-chan is skilled at gliding."

"Isn't that supposed to be cheating?" Maya exclaimed.

"Oh really? It's not that Emolga-chan would cheat by flying past the mud when compared to Cinccino-chan's special oil coated in its fur."

"Roserade-chan, Poison Sting!"

"Keep your distance, Emolga-chan!"

Emolga glided away to dodge it.

"Discharge!"

Emolga hit Roserade with Discharge and flew past it.

"Roserade-chan, look behind you!"

"Let's finish this off with Hidden Power!"

Emolga hit Roserade on-the-spot with a Hidden Power, sending it along with its Trainer falling into the mud.

This left Ash, Kyon, Cilan, Haruhi, Mikuru, and Itsuki surprised. On the other hand, the other four members of the Flower Garden Opera Troupe were not amused.

"Looks like Roserade-chan and I have been soaked in mud. . . . . . . Gah! Why did Roserade-chan have to bite the dust against Emolga-chan?" Shion exclaimed as Iris laughed like a noblewoman yet again, proving that she has won.

"Emolga-chan, you have bloomed like a flower very well. Take a look at it. Shion's Roserade-chan on the other hand has lost, having been withered into the mud," taunted Iris.

Maya was not amused as Iris made another rich, booming laugh.

The next battle was between Cilan's Pansage and Mizuki's Lilligant.

"Bullet Seed!" Cilan commanded in a fake woman's voice.

"Dodge it and use Leech Seed!"

Lilligant managed to get away, firing a Leech Seed at Pansage.

"Use Dig!"

Pansage burrowed on the ground to avoid Leech Seed.

However, Mizuki was being very clever about it.

Pansage got out of the hole, already soaked in mud.

"Why did Pansage-chan suddenly get stained with mud in all of a sudden?" wondered Cilan.

Mizuki replied, making a booming laugh, "The mud is not just there outside the battlefield. It's also hidden under the ground as well!"

Iris and Ash were not amused.

"Finish it off with Energy Ball!"

Lilligant hit Pansage with Energy Ball, creating an explosion that sent the latter falling off into the mud with its Trainer.

Cilan muttered, "We bit the dust. . . . . . "

Making one more laugh, Mizuki taunted, "Like what we just said, flowers need to bloom. They will stain if they end up in the mud."

Shion, Juri, Maya, Mizuki and Nanami all made a booming laugh as Iris felt insulted.

"Cilan and Pansage, the two of you will be avenged!" thought Iris.

The next battle was between Nanami's Delcatty and Kyon's 'Mienfoo', in which the former was obviously lent over from Brendan.

"Kyou-chan, are you ready to lose to me?" taunted Nanami.

Maya announced, "Let the battle begin!"

"Mienfoo-chan, use Force Palm!" Kyon commanded, pretending to sound like a woman.

"Delcatty-chan, Fake Out!"

"What was that move?" Kyon thought to himself.

Delcatty quickly ran off to Mienfoo, clapping its paws together, creating a shock wave that sent Mienfoo knocking away just before it could use Force Palm. Fortunately, it wasn't enough to send Mienfoo falling down on the mud.

"Mienfoo-chan, get up and use Force Palm one more time!"

Mienfoo managed to place its palm on Delcatty. The latter was hit by the white energy that came out of its palm, causing it to become paralyzed.

"Delcatty-chan, get up now!"

Delcatty was barely able to get up because of the paralysis caused by Force Palm. Haruhi and Iris both cheered for Kyon as Shion, Maya, and Mizuki were not amused.

"Let's finish this," Kyon said in a fake woman's voice, "Mienfoo-chan, use Focus Blast!"

"Dodge it and use Facade!"

Cilan and Iris were astounded.

"What's Facade?"

Delcatty avoided Focus Blast. It was later imbued in a yellowish sphere of energy that was presumably from its paralysis, slamming Mienfoo and sending it along with Kyon falling into the mud.

Haruhi was not amused, yelling at Kyon, "Why wouldn't you command Mienfoo-chan to avoid that Facade attack? You're getting a penalty for losing!"

Nanami and the rest of the Flower Garden Opera Troupe made yet another booming laugh as Iris was becoming more annoyed and outraged.

"Enough talk! Kyon you will be avenged as well!" Iris thought.

Maya convinced, "Who's up next in the next battle with my Cinccino-chan?"

Ash, pretending to sound like a woman, replied, "Snivy-chan and I would want to-"

Iris interrupted and replied, "Let me do it again."

"But why?"

"I'm not going to stop just yet until I see Maya and Cinccino get soaked up in mud and make regrets for insulting Emolga!"

Iris was then in a rage, leading to Ash saying, "I think I get your idea."

She then replied to Maya, "Snivy-chan and I will challenge you to a battle."

**A few minutes later. . . . **

Juri announced, "Battle, begin!"

"Cinccino-chan, Tail Slap. Let's go!"

Cinccino started the battle by hitting Snivy with its signature move.

"Snivy-chan, don't give up just yet. Use Vine Whip!"

Snivy retaliated by hitting Cinccino twice with its attack.

"Rock Blast!"

"Dodge it!"

Snivy quickly avoided Cinccino's Rock Blast.

"Use Leaf Storm!"

Snivy attempted to hit Cinccino with a Leaf Storm, but it only caused the latter to be blinded.

"It's not hitting real hard," mumbled Ash.

Cilan and Kyon both added, "It should've gotten more aim."

"Use Hyper Beam!"

Cinccino fired a Hyper Beam to clear away the Leaf Storm and make an attempt to hit Snivy. But the latter made a quick dodge, and so, it missed.

"Use Leaf Storm once more!"

Snivy fired another Leaf Storm, but it only blinded Cinccino's sight once again.

"Giga Impact!"

Cinccino was imbued in a white and orange sphere of energy with white streaks in it, charging back and forth on Snivy. But it was avoided several times.

"That Giga Impact is strong," remarked Kyon.

Cilan added, "No wonder it compliments with the self-confidence Maya has built up."

"Leaf Storm!"

Snivy whipped up another Leaf Storm to disrupt Cinccino's Giga Impact.

"Use Tail Slap!"

"Intercept with Vine Whip!"

Cinccino's Tail Slap was being stopped by Snivy's Vine Whip.

"Time for the final finish. Leaf Blade!"

Snivy slapped Cinccino with a Leaf Blade, slamming it along with its Trainer into the muddy pit. Of course, the four other members of the Flower Garden Opera Troupe were not amused.

"This can't be happening," Maya, already humiliated for losing to Iris, mumbled as Cinccino attempted to shake all the mud away from its body.

Unfortunately, it failed.

"Gah! The mud on Cinccino's body won't come off. I wonder why did it happen?" wondered Maya.

Iris answered, "If you've been forgetting something, it's all because of Snivy's Leaf Storm. The move itself managed to remove all of the oil in Cinccino's body."

"There's no way Snivy's Leaf Storm would have done that."

Ash concluded, "So that explains why Iris kept on commanding Snivy to use Leaf Storm. I never expected it to be just as planned."

"That's why I had to make sure Cinccino would get soiled over with mud when it lost."

Iris then made a booming noblewoman's laugh, angering Maya.

"Gah! I'm totally in despair for losing to you!" the latter exclaimed.

Suddenly, the manager of the Flower Garden Opera Troupe showed up, clapping her hands.

"Congratulations," she said.

"Miss Chihaya?" Maya muttered, referring to the manager herself.

Brendan mumbled in a fake woman's voice, "I thought you were making an Evangelion reference."

"Me, making a reference to a certain anime? Actually, I would like to thank Iris for defeating the leading woman of the Flower Garden Opera Troupe, Maya. Because of that, I would like all of you to perform on the stage for the troupe itself."

Kyon, Ash, Brendan, and Cilan all sweatdropped.

Ash replied, "Well . . . . . . , uh. . . . . . "

". . . . . . We're actually new to this . . . . . . ," Cilan added.

". . . . . . and we have learned a lot for today. Perhaps it's time for us to go, since we're in a rush," said Haruhi, "Take care!"

The nine then rushed off as Haruhi dragged Mikuru outside the opera school.

"Come on, Mikuru! It's not the time to run so slowly!" The former exclaimed.

"Wait up and come back here and be a part of us!" Chihaya exclaimed, catching up after them.

"We didn't intend to join up with you!" Iris and Ash exclaimed, rushing out to the gate along with Ash, Cilan, Kyon, Itsuki, Yuki, Haruhi, Brendan, and Mikuru.

Haruhi added, "Excuse us!"

"We're terribly sorry!" Ash, Cilan, and Iris shouted in unison. The nine managed to leave the opera school, leaving Chihaya exhausted.

She sighed and mumbled, "It's too bad they managed to get away. What a shame."

That afternoon, the nine went back to the fashion store to return all of the costumes they rented.

Having left the store, Ash asked, "That was a scary moment dressing up like a girl. Iris, do you feel any better now?"

"Yes, and I'm very satisfied."

Brendan said to Kyon, "It's good to know that you have managed to dress up like a girl at least for a day."

"I don't want to reenact it again though," the latter replied.

Cilan said, "We were almost going to be recruited, and that was close."

"Nah, you, Itsuki, and Kyon all looked pretty good," remarked both Brendan and Ash.

Haruhi added, "Perhaps I would want to see Kyon dress up once again like a girl someday. After all, he's probably attracted by Mikuru every time she dresses up as a maid, right Kyon?"

The latter facepalmed, muttering, "What was that?"

Almost everyone laughed.

"Alright then, let's head off to Higaki City!" Ash exclaimed. The nine then left the city as Ash himself was bent on his next step to win the Unova League in Higaki City.

Indeed, that was a bit exhausting for Kyon, but he got to dress up like a girl, at least for a day.

On the next chapter:

The nine arrive in the Village of Dragons, the hometown of Iris. One of the Zweilous owned by a friend of Iris evolves into a Hydreigon, but when it finds out that it indeed evolved, it goes into a rage. Will Iris try to calm the Hydreigon down? Will Brendan's own Hydreigon be able to attempt to end its rage as well? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References and shout-outs:_

_* Brendan brings out Ayu Tsukimiya's backpack at the beginning of the chapter. Kyon adds up the Kanon reference by saying her catchphrase._

_* "Both of you, **would you kindly** stop it?" A Bioshock reference._

_* "My Cinccino used to be a very beautiful Pokemon unlike your Emolga, until it took a hit in the knee by that ugly Pokemon of yours." It is a reference to the infamous "arrow in the knee" phrase in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim._

_* "Too bad. Crossdressing time." A shout-out to Brawl in the Family's "Too bad. Waluigi time."_

_* "Enough is enough! I have had it with those meddling people and their stupidly beautiful Pokemon!" Obviously a Snakes on a Plane reference._

_* Kyon and Itsuki dress up as the main characters of Revolutionary Girl Utena, while Ash, Brendan, and Cilan dress up as characters from Rose of Versailles._

_* Weavile drawing its Night Slash into Vespiquen's abdomen from behind is based on the drawing of swords in the chest in Revolutionary Girl Utena._

_* Haruhi and Mikuru dress up as the two main characters of Fushigiboshi no Futagohime._

_* "And speaking of Itsuki, her name reminds me of that certain magical girl who is a tomboy." Maya is referring to a certain character in HeartCatch Pretty Cure._

_* "My Vespiquen-chan would've gotten away with it if weren't for you and your meddling Weavile-chan!" Juri makes a reference to Scooby-Doo._

_* "So that explains why Iris kept on commanding Snivy to use Leaf Storm. I never expected it to be **just as planned**." The second line contains a Death Note reference._

_* "Gah! **I'm totally in despair** for losing to you!" A shout-out to Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei._

* * *

_Author's notes #2: _

_This is not the first time that Ashley would be used up again for Ash, at least for this fanfic. Ash dressed up as 'Ashley' in the original series canon._

_This is the first time that I would be applying Japanese honorifics on this one. I actually based it on the subtitled versions of the episode this chapter is based on._


	23. Our Dragons are Different II

_Author's note #1: Sorry to keep you all waiting for this new chapter._

_This chapter is highly based on BW episode 100, skipping the 99th episode. There aren't that much differences in the story, except for the dialogue, of course._

* * *

**_Chapter 23_**

**_Our Dragons Are Different II_**

The nine were on the cliffside of the mountain, deciding to make a detour to Iris's hometown, the Village of Dragons.

Exhausted, Kyon muttered, "Are we there yet? It's not like we're still on Namek or anything."

Almost everyone fell onto their faces, except for Yuki, who was still rather looking stoic.

Iris replied, "Kyon, we're not on Namek anymore, because we have already arrived!"

Iris looked at the bird's eye view of the Village of Dragons, indicating that they have indeed arrived.

"So this is where you spent your early days before you left, Iris," said Ash.

"Ash, Cilan, Brendan, Haruhi, and the rest of the SOS Brigade, hurry up!" shouted Iris, running ahead of them.

"If we go to the Village of Dragons, we can get to Opelucid City in no time," she thought to herself as she rushed ahead, "But I wouldn't want to end up meeting Drayden again even though should I go to Opelucid City. Besides, I want to meet up with everyone in the village without getting caught by him!"

When Ash, Cilan, Brendan, Haruhi, and the rest of the SOS Brigade caught up with Iris, the latter exclaimed, "Here it is, the Village of Dragons!"

Ash, Haruhi, Mikuru, and Cilan were all amazed at the view of the village.

In the grassy fields, there were several Axew playing together, a Fraxure and Haxorus taking a rest, along with a Druddigon.

Kyon remarked to himself, "Indeed, Iris is right. No wonder this is a village for certain Pokemon."

Cilan added, "I feel the Dragon type aroma in this place."

Suddenly, a voice was heard from afar.

"Iris!"

Iris noticed that voice, and it turns out to be a friend of hers.

"Welcome back, Iris!"

"It's nice to meet you again, Shobu!" Iris responded, referring to her friend.

"How's everything going? Are you still traveling?" Shobu asked, approaching Iris.

"Yes, and we only came here just to stop by."

"It's good to know that you are still fine, Iris," said Shobu, "As well as your Axew."

Axew mentioned its name.

"You're still looking fine, Shobu," said Iris. She then introduced her to Ash, Brendan, Cilan, and the five members of the SOS Brigade.

"She's a good friend of mine here in the village."

Shobu introduced herself, saying, "It's nice to meet all of you. I'm Shobu."

The eight proceeded to introduce themselves.

After Haruhi's introduction, Shobu responded, "So you call all five of yourselves the SOS Brigade? What do you do?"

Haruhi replied, "We're aiming to look for strange and mysterious phenomena."

"So that's what all five of you do? That would be cool!" Shobu exclaimed, "And that Pikachu. . . . . . it's a rare sight to see."

Shobu was referring to Ash's Pikachu.

"I'm traveling with all eight of them at the moment," explained Iris.

"Iris, can you tell me about what you did in your journey? I was also wondering what are the Pokemon you have encountered," said Shobu.

"Of course! A lot of things happened, especially when Haruhi and her subordinates decided to travel with us! But first, I need to go to the Elder."

Suddenly, two Zweilous showed up from the rustling grass, one of them grabbing an apple with its teeth.

"Those are Zweilous!" exclaimed Iris as the two Pokemon approached Shobu by her commands.

"I raised these Zweilous because they were entrusted under my ownership," explained Shobu, patting one of them on one of its two heads.

"What are those Pokemon again called as?" asked both Kyon and Ash.

The latter scanned one of the two Zweilous on his Pokedex.

Kyon looked at Ash's Pokedex and it said, "Zweilous, the Hostile Pokemon, and the evolved form of Deino. After eating up all of the food in its territory, it moves into another area. The two heads do not always get along."

Cilan commented, "It appears they seem to get along well with each other."

"The two Deino in which they evolved from was hatched in the same day, which explains why they're like brothers," Shobu explained, referring to the Zweilous whose two heads each had an apple on its bite, "The little one obviously hatched first, so I'm thinking it's the elder brother that I just nicknamed Toothless. It tends to have a huge appetite."

She added, referring to the other Zweilous, "And this is the younger brother, Hiccup."

Kyon remarked, "That was hard work raising those two Zweilous. I wonder if they tend to fight with each other."

"Well, sometimes they do, but as I mentioned earlier, they tend to treat themselves like brothers for most of the time."

Haruhi asked, "Can I pat one of your Zweilous?"

"Sure, as long as you do it gently though. Even though Zweilous evolve from Deino, they still do not have a sense of sight, and because of that, they do not like to be patted by strangers."

Haruhi gently patted the older Zweilous gently on one of its two heads, amazing Kyon.

"That Haruhi, no wonder she must be a friend to a lot of Pokemon," remarked Kyon.

"How about you try it, Kyon?" suggested Haruhi.

"Why me?"

Kyon then sighed and said, "Alright. I'll give it a try then."

Kyon attempted to pat the younger Zweilous. However, just before Kyon could touch one of the Zweilous's heads, one of them attempted to bite his hand before he could touch anything. Fortunately, Kyon avoided it.

"You're not doing it properly, Kyon!" yelled Haruhi.

Shobu added, "As you can see, the younger Zweilous doesn't like strangers a lot. It tends to bite anyone who tries to touch it."

Kyon mumbled, "Yeah, right. I should've patted the older Zweilous instead."

"One more thing, Shobu. Can you tell me what a Deino looks like?" he added, "After all, it is mentioned that it evolves into Zweilous."

Almost everyone fell on their faces.

Haruhi exclaimed, "Kyon, don't you even know what a Deino really is?"

"I really don't have a clue, Haruhi."

When Ash pushed some buttons on the Pokedex, Kyon looked at it and it said, "Deino, the Irate Pokemon. Having no sight, they use their bites to eat everything that it bumps into and learn about their surroundings. It is dangerous to approach it without any precaution."

"Alright, we should be going now, since I'll go and say hello to the Elder. All of us would like to come to your place later, okay?"

"Sure. Don't forget to talk about what happened in your journey!"

She looked at Haruhi and added, "Oh, I'm also looking forward to knowing fully what that group of yours do. Tell me when you come back along with Iris and your friends!"

**In the home of the Elder. . . . . **

"So, it's you again, Iris," said the Elder, "Are you fine today?"

"Yes."

"Then that means Ash, Cilan, Brendan, and the rest of your friends from the SOS Brigade are also fine."

"Yes, ma'am," replied Ash, "It is nice to meet you."

"It is also nice to meet you," greeted both Cilan and Haruhi.

"Iris explained, "Ash will participate in the Unova League tournament in Higaki City, and so, we all decided to make a detour here. Haruhi and her four other friends have decided to join with us, along with another good friend, Brendan."

"Now that's a lot of people you have been traveling with, Iris," said the Elder, "Ash and Kyon, both of you were probably in trouble because of her."

"Well, not really," replied both Ash and Kyon in unison, dropping their sweat, "We actually made friends with her, that's all."

"She's quite the tomboy when compared to the others. Apparently, it would be a bit stressful traveling with her."

"Uh, yeah," said Ash, causing Iris to become offended.

"Perhaps we should compare it from the Iris back then," explained the Elder, referring to the time in Iris's childhood when she was playing with the Pokemon.

"That was actually from a long time ago," Iris said, being exasperated.

"That Iris, she has changed a lot of her personality from her childhood days," Kyon concluded.

"What was that?!" Iris exclaimed, causing almost everyone to laugh.

Suddenly, Axew jumped out of Iris's hair, approaching the Elder.

"Axew, are you fine today?"

Axew cheerfully said its name, indicating that it said yes.

Iris added, "It hasn't evolved yet though."

"Evolution is not about everything. Let's check on your Axew then."

The Elder stared at Axew, and one moment later, she concluded, "This Axew of yours is well raised."

Kyon remarked, "The matriarch of this village is very friendly."

Itsuki added, "She's also a kind person."

"You're right, Kyon and Itsuki. But the way she did after staring at Axew wasn't that very usual," replied Cilan.

One of the two boys beside the Elder asked Iris, "Do you have any other Dragon-type Pokemon with you? If you have any, can you show them to her?"

With everyone outside in order for the Elder to check out Iris's other Dragon-type Pokemon, the latter summoned Dragonite.

"So you got yourself a Dragonite, Iris," said the Elder.

One of the two boys added and remarked, "It's quite decently powerful."

Iris's Dragonite, as usual, looked for someone to challenge with until it noticed a Haxorus who took notice of the former in response.

The two decided to have a battle with each other, leaving Iris worried.

"What should we do now?" the latter asked.

The Elder decided to approach the two Pokemon, concerning Iris.

Dragonite attempted to land a punch, but the Elder avoided it, causing Dragonite to fall over and lose momentum.

The Elder proceeded to calm down Haxorus, pushing it gently away from Dragonite, saying, "Now, now. Everything's alright. Everything's going to be fine now. There, there."

She also managed to calm down the latter, also doing what she did to Haxorus.

"There, there. Everything's alright now," she said, gently patting her fingers on Dragonite's face, "You are seeing a rival in a fellow Dragon-type Pokemon, right?"

Haruhi and Ash both remarked, "Wow. That must be cool enough for her to calm Iris's Dragonite."

The former added, "Kyon, perhaps you should try to be like her too!"

Kyon was exasperated.

After calmly speaking some words of wisdom to Dragonite, the Elder said, "Perhaps that's enough for today, Iris."

Iris recalled her Dragonite.

"I never expected that you have had a lot of experience dealing with Dragon-types," remarked Cilan.

Haruhi added, "I'm bored. Can Iris give us a tour of the entire village?"

"Sure, Iris can do that," replied the Elder.

"Haruhi, we'll make a visit to Shobu's farm. Maybe it would interest you," suggested Iris.

"You mean the girl with the Zweilous, right?" asked Kyon.

Cilan added, "I would look forward to going there."

Iris exclaimed, "Let's go, then!"

"Right!"

When the nine headed off, the Elder asked a certain Gym Leader, who snuck behind the trees, "Are you fine with that if she went ahead?"

"Yes. I'll look forward to knowing how everything's going with her."

"Iris still believes that she had ran away without telling you."

"I want her to show me what happens should she make her own decision to travel."

In Shobu's farm, Shobu herself was tending to her two Zweilous. That was when Iris and the rest of the group showed up.

"Shobu!"

"Iris!"

When Iris approached Shobu and noticed one of her Zweilous resting, she asked, "What seems to be the problem with one of your Zweilous?"

"Toothless had a huge appetite until now, when something went wrong with it."

"It ate too much, and because of that, it can't probably move," thought Iris.

"It did?"

Ash and Kyon's tummies both rumbled.

"Sorry about that," said Ash, exasperating Iris.

"Perhaps all of you should spend some lunch at my place," suggested Shobu.

"Are you fine with that?"

"I want to know about what happened in your adventures. I also want to know why did Haruhi set up her own brigade, although I have to stay close to Toothless."

Kyon asked, "You can't be able to leave the place without tending to your Zweilous?"

Iris said, "In that case, we'll have to drop by."

"That would be a good idea, Iris," Ash responded.

"Thanks," Shobu replied to Iris's suggestion, "We've got lots of delicious cheese. Would all of you like to try?"

In the living room of the farmhouse, Ash, Iris, Brendan, Cilan, Kyon, Yuki, Haruhi, Mikuru, and Itsuki were all being offered by Shobu some cheese and bread. Ash's Pikachu and Iris's Axew were provided some Pokemon food.

"I would like to thank all of you for helping me tend the Zweilous back to their sheds."

"You're welcome," replied both Haruhi and Ash.

The two then exclaimed in unison, "This bread tastes real good!"

Kyon remarked, "It's probably because of the cheese on it."

Itsuki added, "Thanks for providing us this delicious treat."

"The bread and cheese are surely in for a good taste," Cilan said.

"What do you guys think of the Village of Dragons? It's got lots of fresh air and a lot of good food," said Iris.

"Well, yeah. The food tastes real good indeed," replied Ash.

"I like something with a peaceful aroma too," added Cilan.

"I see," said Shobu, eventually in a worried mood, "But I prefer to start on my own journey like Iris."

"That would be a great idea," said Iris, "During our childhood days, we would want to imagine what the world outside the village would look like, right?"

"But I really don't have the same specialty as you," replied the worried Shobu, "What I'm suited in right now is just to learn some more about breeding here in this village."

"I don't have specialty either," said Iris.

"The truth is, only a few people in the Village of Dragons can understand the feelings of Dragon-type Pokemon, one of them is the Elder. Iris, the Elder just said that you are also one of them. Even though Haruhi isn't from this village, she might be heading for that way too."

"I do?"

"Yes, Haruhi. The Elder just saw you when you patted out Toothless earlier and thought that you might have potential."

Mikuru asked, "At least you still have the two Zweilous that you can raise, right?"

"But that's all I can do."

"That's actually a good idea. Doing proper Pokemon breeding is already a good thing to start off with, no matter what species of Pokemon it is," convinced Cilan.

Haruhi added, "And of course, traveling isn't that boring, because if you continued to stay here, it's the other way around."

"If you wished to travel and see the sights of the outside world, why won't you plan to do it, Shobu?" asked Kyon, "After all, you just said you preferred to start on your own journey like Iris, right?"

"The truth is, if Hiccup and Toothless both evolved into Hydreigon, I want to go to the Elder and ask her if she would like me to. . . . go and start traveling like you, Iris."

"Don't worry about that! I'm sure the Elder will agree to your decision," replied Iris.

"I. . . . I really don't know if that will happen. . . . . ," Shobu replied, "And oh, I just forgot something. Haruhi, can you explain fully about the reason why you set up that brigade of yours?"

"Kyon, explain the main objectives for the chief and that's an order!" exclaimed Haruhi.

"Okay, the main purpose of the establishment of the SOS Brigade is that Haruhi was on the lookout for aliens, time travelers, espers, sliders, and among others. I lectured Haruhi about boring things like normal life and individuals, and a few moments later, she was suddenly convinced to start her own club in which it would be later called the SOS Brigade."

Suddenly, they all heard cries from the Zweilous.

"I wonder what seems to be the problem with the Zweilous," thought Shobu.

The ten rushed outside the farmhouse, noticing the panicking Zweilous on the other side of the fence.

"That's weird," said Haruhi, "There's only one of them."

"I think that's Hiccup. Toothless is missing," added Shobu, "What's the problem?"

The ten followed Hiccup as it headed for the lake.

When Hiccup stopped, the group also stopped, noticing the older Zweilous named Toothless, glowing in blue light.

"I wonder what's it doing," thought Kyon.

Haruhi replied, "Kyon, I think it's evolving."

"Evolving?"

"Don't you know how interesting it is when a Pokemon evolves?" exclaimed Haruhi, "If it does, it becomes stronger! Are you forgetting that one time in the Junior Cup when Yanma evolved?"

"Uh, I never expected that, Haruhi," replied Kyon.

Shobu smiled as the older Zweilous started its evolution stage.

"Thanks, Toothless," she tearfully said.

Ash scanned the newly evolved Hydreigon with his Pokedex. It said, "Hydreigon, the Brutal Pokemon and the evolved form of Zweilous. This brutal Pokemon travels to the skies with its six wings. It responds to anything that moves by attacking."

"Congratulations, Shobu! Your Toothless has just evolved!"

"But something's not right, Iris."

Toothless was trying to look at its new appearance by looking at its reflection in the lake. It was ostracized, firing a Draco Meteor that wrecked havoc on the entire village.

"Toothless, calm down!" shouted Shobu as she and Hiccup rushed closer to Toothless.

Toothless, still terrified of its new appearance, fired a Tri Attack from all three of its heads, causing Hiccup to dodge the attack.

Confident that it will stand up on its own, Hiccup jumped and hit Toothless with a Double Hit.

However, the latter retaliated by using Outrage. Two of its head-like hands simply bit both of Hiccup's wings, enabling the main head to hit Hiccup with a powerful headbutt that sent it knocked away into the ground.

"Hiccup, hang in there!"

Iris, Haruhi, Kyon, Mikuru, Cilan, Yuki, Ash, Itsuki, and Brendan all approached Shobu and Hiccup, who was already weakened due to Outrage.

"Shobu, are you alright?" asked both Iris and Brendan.

"Yeah, but I don't know what happened to Toothless. It used to behave before it evolved," replied the former.

Cilan theorized, "Some Pokemon are terrified of their new form after they evolve. Because of that, they tend to become agitated."

Kyon concluded, "That probably explains why Hydreigon became ostracized of its new form."

"If only there was a way to calm Toothless without laying the hurt on it," thought Shobu, "But how?"

Iris was feeling a bit worried too. However, she eventually remembered the one time when the Elder managed to calm down Dragonite.

* * *

_"There, there. Everything's alright now," the Elder said, gently patting her fingers on Dragonite's face, "You are seeing a rival in a fellow Dragon-type Pokemon, right?"_

* * *

Iris then said, "Perhaps I should give it a try. I need to be a bit closer to Hydreigon in order for this to work though."

She thought, "Is there a spot in the lake that is surrounded by hills?"

"It's right there on the opposite side of the lake," replied Shobu.

"Alright, then. Let's go, Dragonite and Emolga!"

When Iris summoned the two Pokemon, she commanded, "Dragonite and Emolga, redirect that Hydreigon to the opposite side of the lake!"

Suddenly, Brendan's Hydreigon popped out on its own from its Poke Ball.

"Hydreigon? You're gonna help too?" asked Brendan. His own Hydreigon agreed.

Shobu asked, "You also have a Hydreigon?"

"Yes, I do," replied Brendan, "Hydreigon, do the same and make sure your fellow friend is redirected to the opposite side of the lake as well!"

Iris's Dragonite and Emolga flew high up along with Brendan's own Hydreigon.

The three Pokemon attempted to redirect Toothless away from the lake by pretending to attack it using ThunderPunch, Discharge, and Dragon Pulse, respectively.

"Kyon, you have to do something to calm that Hydreigon down!" Haruhi exclaimed, referring to Toothless.

"But we don't have any Pokemon on hand, remember?"

"Oh, right," replied Haruhi.

Iris and the other nine rushed off as the former saw a corner in the hillside.

"Keep it up!" Iris commanded, "Try to make sure it is cornered at the opposite side of the river!"

"You too, Hydreigon!" Brendan instructed to his own Hydreigon.

Iris's Dragonite and Emolga, as well as Brendan's own Hydreigon, continued to redirect Toothless with their attacks as the latter was about to be cornered on a hillside not far from the lake.

"Almost there!" muttered Iris.

Ash said, "Iris is doing so well with that strategy."

"But the hard part begins there," replied Cilan.

"What hard part?" asked Kyon.

With Toothless now cornered in the hillside, Iris summoned out her Axew and Excadrill.

Toothless attempted to fly away, but Dragonite, Emolga, and Brendan's own Hydreigon stopped it as they all prepared to fire their attacks against it.

In retaliation, Toothless attempted to charge a Dragon Rush.

Quickly thinking, Iris commanded, "Axew, use Dragon Rage. Excadrill, use Focus Blast!"

Axew and Excadrill used their attacks to restrain Toothless from charging its attack.

"Everyone, keep trying to surround Toothless!" Iris instructed as she attempted to climb on top of the cliff, right behind Toothless.

"I'm gonna come for you, Toothless!" she exclaimed, jumping from the cliff and hopping in on Toothless' back.

The Brutal Pokemon thrashed Iris away. Fortunately, she wasn't hurt, attempting to make a second try.

"There's no way Iris can do it by herself," Kyon said.

"I think you're right, Kyon," replied Ash, "Pikachu, help Iris out!"

"Hold on a second!"

That voice was none other than the Elder herself.

"Was that the Elder?" thought Shobu.

While Iris made a second attempt to calm Toothless down by hopping on it from the top of the cliff, a certain man with a crooked beard that covered his mouth was observing her without Iris seeing him.

When Iris hopped on Toothless's back for the second time, she was being thrashed away again.

Axew wanted to battle, but Iris replied, "No, Axew. Just stay there and wait until I get the signal. Listen carefully."

"How can Iris be able to calm down Toothless if there's no one to help her out?" Haruhi ranted.

"Be patient and leave it to her," replied the Elder.

"But ~"

"There's no time to panic!" the Elder interrupted.

"I'm having a bad feeling that Iris would get hurt because of Toothless," said the worried Shobu.

"Watch closely on Iris, Shobu," replied the Elder, "And believe in Iris's aim to fulfill her dream of becoming a Dragon Master."

"Iris's dream to become a Dragon Master?" thought Shobu.

Toothless noticed Iris on top of the cliff.

"Axew, time to get ready!"

Axew realized that it was time for Iris's signal. The latter, along with Excadrill, fired a Dragon Rage and a Focus Blast, respectively, aiming downwards to the ground, catching Toothless' attention.

Iris jumped from the cliff and hopped on Toothless' back, attempting to calm it down.

However, Toothless's two heads both bit down on Iris's arms.

Despite the pain that was being inflicted on Iris, she tried to calm Toothless down, hugging it.

"Now, now, Toothless. There's nothing to be afraid of," she calmly said.

Toothless attempted to thrash Iris away, but it was eventually calmed down.

"Because of your evolution, you have had a lot of power. It also means that you have become stronger."

Kyon asked, "I wonder if that will work."

The Elder replied, "Just look closely."

Iris continued to calm down Toothless.

"Now, now, Hydreigon. Everything's okay now. You were just terrified of your new appearance, right? There, there. Everything's alright. After all, the other Hydreigon isn't afraid of its new self."

Iris successfully calmed Toothless down.

"There, it looks like Toothless is already fine," she said.

"Thanks, Iris!" Shobu exclaimed, glomping her.

"Iris, that was amazing!" remarked Ash.

Cilan added, "It was definitely the end result of an exquisite flavor that I want to try out."

The Elder said, "Axew and some of the other Pokemon have been raised very well. I knew that you could do it if you tried."

"Thanks!" Iris thanked the elder.

She noticed Brendan's Hydreigon and asked Iris, "Iris, is that your Pokemon?"

"No, that Hydreigon's not mine, it's actually Brendan's," replied Iris.

The Elder approached Brendan and said, "Your Hydreigon joined in and helped out?"

"Well, yeah. As you can see, it popped out on its own from its Poke Ball just to do so, that's all," Brendan replied, scratching his head.

"Perhaps I should check on your Hydreigon and see if it is well raised as well," the Elder said.

"Ok then."

After staring at Brendan's Hydreigon, she replied, "Like Iris's Axew, I think it's well trained as well. I think I know the reason why your Hydreigon tried to help out in calming down Shobu's Hydreigon. It tries to help out any Pokemon that are of its own kind."

"I see it now," Brendan concluded, "It likes to volunteer if the problem on hand happens to be from its own species."

"I was wondering about Iris's skills."

That voice seemed familiar to Iris, worrying her.

"Please don't tell me it's. . . . . . "

It was none other than Drayden himself, watching Iris all along when she made a return to the village. He simply showed up on top of the cliff.

"Drayden, why did you come to the Village of Dragons?" Iris asked in a worried mood.

Elder responded for Drayden and said, "Drayden heard about you coming to the village for a visit, and so he went here to go check out on you."

"Drayden, I'm really sorry for running away without your permission!" Iris exclaimed, attempting to forgive the former.

"I understand," replied Drayden, "I do know that you have grown up a bit. Let me show your prowess again in the Opelucid Gym, and I'll be waiting there."

He then went away.

Kyon and Ash both thought, "I wonder who was that guy."

Haruhi replied to Kyon's response, "Don't you know him, Kyon? He's Drayden, the Gym Leader of Opelucid City!"

"Don't tell me you're going to make me battle him again just like what happened with Marlon."

"Of course, you have to, Kyon! It wouldn't be boring if you were to battle a Gym Leader one more time, right?"

Kyon facepalmed and said, "We're going for yet another long way to go."

Iris said, "I think Drayden approves of me!"

The Elder said, "You have gotten strong-willed ever since you have started traveling, Iris."

Shobu nervously said to the Elder, "The truth is. . . . . . . . . . I want to start traveling once Hiccup evolves into a Hydreigon as well."

"As you can see, I'm waiting for you to make such decisions," replied the Elder, patting both of her hands on Shobu's shoulders, "Iris isn't the only one with a special talent. I have a lot of expectations for the younger people of the village to share and develop their talents and skills."

She added, "Keep that in mind that the will to move forward depends on your decision."

"Thank you for the piece of advice," Shobu said to the Elder.

"I'm glad for you, Shobu," Ash and Iris both said.

Cilan added, "I'm looking forward to seeing you once you start your journey."

"Sure, I will!"

"Shobu, let's do our best!" Iris said, appearing to get fired up.

That afternoon, Brendan's Hydreigon and Toothless were seen soaring above in the hills.

"Shobu, it seems my Hydreigon became friends with your Hydreigon," said Brendan, noticing the two Pokemon soaring in the air.

"Yeah, that was probably because of what happened earlier," replied Shobu.

"Brendan, it's time to go now!" Iris exclaimed, causing Brendan to hear her.

Shobu approached Toothless and said, "Toothless, I guess your friend wants to go now."

Toothless was sad about missing its new friend.

Brendan approached Toothless and said, patting it in the head, "Toothless, by the time Iris comes back to this village, she will leave you a greeting for my Hydreigon, got it?"

After a hug with Toothless, Brendan's Hydreigon was then recalled back to its Poke Ball as its Trainer caught up with Ash, Iris, Cilan and the rest of the gang from the SOS Brigade as they left the Village of Dragons, setting off to Opelucid City that afternoon.

Iris has managed to calm down Shobu's Toothless from its rampage, in which it became a few steps ahead before she becomes a full-fledged Dragon Master. Now, she is looking forward to facing Drayden in their second battle ever since the battle that became the reason why Excadrill once disobeyed her.

And speaking of Drayden, Kyon expects yet another similar challenge waiting for him because of Haruhi. . . . . .

**TO BE CONTINUED. . . . . **

On the next chapter:

Ash, Haruhi, and friends arrive in Opelucid City. Iris bumps into an old friend that she befriended when she was still in her childhood days at school. Kyon is being forced by Haruhi to team up with Iris in her rematch battle with Drayden, the Gym Leader of Opelucid City. Will Kyon once again comply to the orders of Haruhi by winning this gym battle? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References:_

_* "It's not like we're still on Namek or anything." Kyon makes a reference to a well known Dragon Ball Z meme._

_* Shobu's two Zweilous are nicknamed Hiccup and Toothless, a reference to How to Train Your Dragon._

* * *

_Author's note #2: There are some differences in this chapter compared to the actual episode. __The older Hydreigon uses Tri Attack and Outrage, and i__nstead of using Wing Attack, the younger Zweilous that hasn't evolved uses Double Hit, given the fact that Zweilous can't learn Wing Attack at all._


	24. Instant Awesome, Just Add Dragons

_Author's notes #1: Behold, the update is finally here._

_The reason for the late update is that the English subs for BW episode 101 went out for a long while. And speaking of BW episode 101, this chapter is based after that episode._

* * *

**_Chapter 24_**

**_Instant Awesome, Just Add Dragons_**

Ash, Iris, Cilan, Brendan, Haruhi, Mikuru, Itsuki, Kyon, and Yuki are now on the road heading for Opelucid City, where it is confirmed that Iris will be facing a rematch with Drayden, the Gym Leader of the aforementioned city.

Iris thought, "I never expected that Drayden agreed about me. But anyways, I'm not going to stand back though."

Ash said, "Now that's the spirit, Iris."

"I wonder what is this place," Mikuru thought, looking at the city in the horizon.

Cilan replied, "I guess this is the place, Opelucid City."

Haruhi thought to herself, "I was wondering if Kyon should challenge Drayden as well."

"Solomon. . . . I mean. . . . . . , Opelucid City, I have returned," Iris muttered.

**In Opelucid City:**

The gang walked on the streets of the city as Ash, Kyon, and Haruhi noticed two children dressed in school uniforms.

Haruhi said, "Iris, it seems that the children we just passed by are dressed up in school uniforms."

"Uh, as you can see, they're studying in a well-known school in Opelucid City."

Kyon thought to himself, "Even in the Pokemon world, there are schools? Okay, it totally looks like real life to me."

Iris toured Haruhi, Ash, and the rest of the others to the school.

She then explained, "This school offers lessons regarding a Pokemon's type, in which they are taught and explained in complete detail."

"As far as I can remember, children from other regions who are aspiring to become future Pokemon Trainers come here," added Cilan.

"They do?" Iris asked, now in a frowning mood, "Well, that's because Drayden is convincing all of them to come and study here. After all, he also happens to be the head of this school."

"Drayden is this school's very own principal?" Haruhi asked Iris.

"Well, yeah," replied Iris.

Itsuki added," I never expected that a Gym Leader would also have side duties."

Kyon noticed a rooftop on top of a hill and said, "I wonder what's with that rooftop over there."

"I think that's the Opelucid Gym, Kyon," Ash replied, now looking at Iris, "Iris, I guess it's time."

Haruhi convinced Kyon, saying "Kyon, I was thinking if. . . . . . you should challenge Drayden as well."

The latter thought, "Don't tell me, I'm going to battle with a Gym Leader again? Why isn't Haruhi trying to suggest Koizumi, Miss Nagato, or Miss Asahina to battle Drayden this time? Okay, maybe I should ask Haruhi later."

Iris sighed, took a deep breath, and muttered to herself, "Stay calm. Don't be nervous. You mustn't run away."

"Uh, Iris. Are you about to quote Shinji Ikari on us?" Mikuru asked Iris.

Iris gasped and said, "There's no way I can do this!" She then ran off.

"I wonder where Iris is heading off to," thought Kyon.

Haruhi and the rest of the others searched for Iris everywhere in the city.

"Iris is probably here somewhere," said Ash.

Ash's Pikachu heard a wailing sound from behind it as Officer Jenny passed them by, riding on a motorcycle heading for the tower.

Cilan, Itsuki, and Kyon suddenly overheard two people making a conversation.

"Word from the street is that there's someone doing something dangerous on top of the tower again."

"Who did it?"

"It so happens to be a girl!"

Ash and Cilan muttered in unison, "Could that be Iris?", leading to Kyon and Mikuru becoming surprised in response.

Iris was standing on top of the tower, taking a deep breath along with her Axew.

"What do you think, Axew? The breeze makes you feel at ease."

After gazing at the city's landscape, Iris took one more deep breath and said, "I think I'm not afraid of anything anymore."

She immediately heard a voice coming from below. It was Officer Jenny, speaking out to her on a megaphone.

"Unauthorized entry into the tower is strictly forbidden! Please come down immediately!"

Ash and Kyon exclaimed, "Iris, it's dangerous to go alone on top of the tower!"

"Wasn't she the girl from before?" thought Officer Jenny.

As a result, Iris herself deadpanned, mumbling, "Looks like I'm caught again. I'll be right down!"

When Iris went down the tower, Officer Jenny gave Iris a sort-of lecture.

"I told you numerous times that it's dangerous to go climbing up on top of the tower. What if you ended up hurting yourself? Are you listening?"

"Uh. . . . . yeah."

"Are you all friends of hers?" Officer Jenny asked to Ash, Haruhi, and the others.

Itsuki replied, "Yes, the eight of us know her a lot."

"I want all of you to make sure this doesn't happen again. Understood?"

"Yes," the eight all said in an unenthusiastic tone, except for Yuki, who was still yet in a blank mood.

"Could that be Iris?"

Iris noticed that voice from behind, turning around.

"I never expected that it really is you."

"Ms. Martha?"

"How do you know her a lot?" asked Kyon.

Iris replied, "I'll explain once we return to the academy."

**In the school:**

The gang went inside the school grounds as they proceeded.

"You studied here in this school?" Haruhi asked Iris.

"Yeah, but I was only here for a short while."

Iris then looked at Kyon and continued, explaining about Martha, "Kyon, Ms. Martha is the one who took care of me back then."

Martha explained, "After all, Iris is somehow a complicated child ever since she attended the academy. There were so many incidents involving her. All of you must be hungry. Should I offer all of you a meal before going to the Opelucid Gym?"

"But how did you know that I'll be heading off to the Opelucid Gym?" Iris wondered.

"I heard from you that you'll be coming here today."

Haruhi said, "Kyon, does this place remind you of North High?"

Upon hearing Haruhi's words, Cilan asked, "Haruhi, are you also having school life as well?"

"Uh, yeah," replied Haruhi, "Kyon, explain to Cilan about the SOS Brigade as a school club."

"This could be a long way to go," thought Kyon.

He then proceeded and explained, "Haruhi established the SOS Brigade ever since she and I both started high school. And when Haruhi did, she recruited Miss Asahina, Koizumi, and Miss Nagato. The main objective of the brigade is to look for aliens, time travelers, espers, sliders, and among others just to have fun with them."

"So the five of you happen to be studying as well, right?" Martha asked Haruhi and said, "Have fun with that brigade of yours. I'll be looking forward to seeing how everything's going with your group as well as the accomplishment of your brigade's main goal."

"What did she just say? Oh, let's see. She wants to look forward to the accomplishment of the SOS Brigade's main goal, right? It's not that she would want something wrong to happen especially if Haruhi's the one cause of it, is she?"

The ten then noticed Drayden, having a negotiation with a businessman.

"I think it's Drayden," said Kyon.

The white-bearded Gym Leader approached the group, asking Iris, "I have heard about you starting yet another ruckus a few minutes ago. Have you calmed down?"

"Yes."

"You must eat some lunch and take a rest. Once the negotiation is over, you are free to contact me again for our battle."

Drayden then left off.

With a sigh and a frown, Iris said, "I have a bad feeling that Drayden is monitoring everything right from the get-go. That's why I feel uncomfortable whenever he is around."

Mikuru concluded, "So that explains it all along why you have a bad feeling about coming back."

**In the dormitory cafeteria:**

The group chowed down on sandwiches for lunch.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. Here's your favorite food in the menu, Iris," said Martha, serving Iris some Oran and Pecha berries on skewers, placed on a round plate.

"You can still remember what I love to eat!" exclaimed Iris.

"Yes, I still do," replied Martha.

"Oh yes, the food brings back good memories," mumbled Iris as she picked up a skewer and chowed down on the berries, "I felt better because of it, and boy, they are delicious!"

Kyon asked, "What have you learned here in school, Iris?"

Ash added, "I'm expecting that it's all about Dragon-types."

"The truth is, I don't want to recall anything from my past life being here, but you already know that I lost out to Drayden before," Iris answered, referring to Ash and Cilan.

"You lost out to that Gym Leader?"

"Yes, Kyon," replied Iris, explaining, "I was participating in a tournament in the Village of Dragons, winning numerous battles. But Drayden came along, and that's when things went wrong. My loss to him in that battle was the one reason why my Excadrill stopped listening to me. Fortunately, it eventually came closer to me since then."

Haruhi concluded, "So that explains another one of the reasons why you have a bad feeling about seeing Drayden again."

Iris continued, "A few days later, after the battle, the Elder told me those words. . . . . ."

* * *

_On the hills facing the Village of Dragons:_

_"You must go to Drayden's school."_

_"I have to go there?" the young Iris asked the Elder._

_"Yes, he runs a school in Opelucid City that offers lessons about Dragon-type Pokemon and some practical skills."_

_"If I study there, I can improve myself on my skills and get stronger, right? Of course, I'll do it!"_

* * *

"And that's when I decided to leave the Village of Dragons and set off to Opelucid City, taking lessons about Dragon-type Pokemon. But it was my first time to be studying and taking up classes with my schoolmates, I had difficulty meeting up to my expectations."

* * *

_Iris is playing with the Pokemon in a fountain, still in her school uniform._

_"Everyone, come and join in! It really is fun!"_

_Unfortunately, none of them went in, much to Iris's disappointment._

* * *

"There weren't a lot of kids who had a lot of fun here just like the ones in the Village of Dragons."

* * *

_Iris showed up upside-down from a tree behind two pupils, gathering two apples._

_"Would you two like to have some? Apples are so interesting."_

_"Uh, we're going to go now. We're going to study for an upcoming test."_

_The two of them left, much to Iris's dismay._

* * *

"Somehow, I feel a bit lonely, and because of that, I don't have any friends."

Haruhi said, "That feels like a sad story, Iris."

"If you had no friends at all, didn't you think of setting up a group similar to the Neighbor's Club or something like that?" asked Kyon.

"Well, I had no idea that the Neighbor's Club ever existed," replied Iris, "And speaking of the Neighbor's Club, what is it? Does it have similar goals as the SOS Brigade?"

Brendan muttered, "Uh, Kyon, isn't the Neighbor's Club supposed to be yet another anime reference?"

Martha explained, "Iris was a bit too preoccupied by herself. This is the only dormitory here in Opelucid City, and that is the reason why every student comes to live here. The Pokemon used during lessons are owned by the academy, which probably explains why Iris was trying to adapt to a new environment, having no room for anything else."

Ash thought, "But how come that even though Iris lived together with her schoolmates, it seems that they won't come to play with you at least a little while."

Cilan theorized, "Learning, playing, competing with each other, as well as sometimes arguing with each other. They're one of the few things that school life must have, and they're like spices."

"To be honest, Cilan, all these things bored me down, and I even lost my appetite as a result," answered Iris.

"And that's why I prepared some special food for Iris to cheer her up," Martha continued as Iris proceeded to chow down.

A few minutes later, the group proceeded on the corridor, where Iris decided to tour Ash, Haruhi, and the others into the dormitory room that she used to stay in.

"I think here it is," Iris said, opening the door to the room as she and the others went inside.

Martha said, "No one has been using this room for the moment."

Mikuru noticed some doodles on a wall, asking Iris, "Iris, I was wondering if you drew those."

"Yes, I was the one who did that," replied Iris.

Kyon thought, "Did Iris learn how to do vandalize that wall by herself?"

Martha explained, "Iris is the only one here who made those doodles."

Iris smiled, replying, "I wasn't expecting to be vandalizing this wall, and I'm really sorry for that."

Cilan thought, saying, "I get it know, the doodles in the wall remind you of your Pokemon friends in the Village of Dragons."

Kyon said, "Apparently, those drawings would help Iris remember the good times playing with them before she studied here."

"Look over there! I can see it outside the window, the tower that you just climbed, Iris!" Ash exclaimed, pointing at the tower outside the window that he noticed.

"Even though I filled up my appetite because of Ms. Martha, I was still feeling a bit lonely."

* * *

_After drawing all the doodles in her room, the young Iris proceeded to sit on a desk, reading several greeting cards that she received from her friends in the Village of Dragons._

_She smelled the scent coming from the cards and said, "The scent's coming from the village. I wonder how everyone there is doing."_

* * *

Iris continued, "I was thinking that, if I climbed up the tower that I saw in the window, I would be able to see a clear view of the Village of Dragons."

* * *

_The younger Iris was on top of the tower, feeling the windy breeze._

_"Ah, this feels very windy in here. The wind feels like as if it came from the Village of Dragons," she said._

_When she set her eyes on the horizon, she frowned in disappointment, in the midst of Officer Jenny showing up below the tower, warning her to climb down._

* * *

"Unfortunately, I had no luck seeing the Village of Dragons even when I stood on top of the tower."

Martha said, "This was the first incident that took place ever since the school was first established. Pretty much everyone in the academy was very surprised upon hearing about it."

Iris smiled and said, "Officer Jenny gave me a scolding for that one. But as you can see, I continued to climb in secret for several times."

Martha gasped in response.

Kyon thought, "You really had a hard time dealing with life in a new environment, Iris."

Iris said, "Yes, Kyon. I'm not really used to being here in the city or in the academy. I knew it back then, but I was still desperate. But one day . . "

* * *

_The young Iris was partaking in a Pokemon battle outside the academy, temporarily using a Fraxure, while another pupil temporarily used an Altaria._

_"Let the battle begin!"_

_"Let's win this, Fraxure," said Iris._

* * *

"When I was still honing my skills on Pokemon battling, something just happened to me."

* * *

_"Fraxure, use Dragon Claw!"_

_"Dodge it!"_

_Altaria cleared itself away from Fraxure's attack._

_"Don't let it get away with Dual Chop!"_

_"Dodge it again!"_

_Altaria avoided both of Fraxure's slashes._

_"Continue attacking until you hit it!" Iris commanded._

_Drayden was present, watching the entire battle as Altaria kept on avoiding Fraxure's repeated Dual Chops._

_"You're doing great, Altaria!"_

_Fraxure was starting to become exhausted, eventually getting up._

_"Don't give up just yet! Keep attacking!"_

_"Altaria, use Mist!"_

_Altaria blew a white cloud of smoke, blocking Fraxure's sight._

_"Don't just stand there! Use Dragon Claw one more time!"_

_"Use DragonBreath!"_

_Just as Fraxure was about to charge at Altaria and use Dragon Claw, it was hit by Altaria's DragonBreath, knocking it out._

_"Fraxure is unable to battle! The battle is now over!"_

_Iris approached Fraxure and asked it, "Fraxure, are you alright?"_

_Drayden showed up and informed Iris, "You kept commanding Fraxure to attack without knowing if it is already weakened. That explains your loss in today's battle. You forced Fraxure to tire out when the time is convenient for it to attack. You will have a long way to go unless if you learn to understand."_

* * *

Iris continued, "I wasn't trying to be aware of Fraxure's condition and rather just kept on commanding it to attack at will. I just wanted to catch up and compensate for all the time that was lost."

* * *

_Iris was back on top of the tower, already worried._

_"I couldn't stand it," she cried, as the winds blew before her._

_"Shobu, I really miss you!" she cried out._

* * *

Kyon asked Iris, "Because of the fact that you were desperate to meet your friends, did you decide to go back to the Village of Dragons?"

"Yes," the latter nodded and replied, "The Elder understood my decision, and after spending time in the Village of Dragons for a while, that was when I started traveling with Axew."

Kyon asked, "I have one question. What is a Fraxure?"

Almost everyone fell on their faces.

"Kyon, if you ever hear of a Pokemon that doesn't seem familiar to you, do you have to ask?" asked Haruhi.

The group then went outside as Iris met up again with the aforementioned Fraxure.

"Kyon, meet Fraxure, the Pokemon that I mentioned before," Iris explained.

"Fraxure, you look so well," she said, patting the Axe Jaw Pokemon's head, "Did you remember the one time when we battled together in class? I'm very sorry for not understanding how you feel and forcing you to battle to your limits."

Fraxure smiled.

Cilan remarked, "It looks like the aroma is becoming heartwarming."

"Fraxure, I'll be going now to challenge Drayden," continued Iris, clenching her fist, "I'm doing my best by making use of the experience I earned back then."

Fraxure continued to smile, saying its name as Iris continued, "I'll be preparing for the rematch with Drayden."

Drayden showed up, standing right behind the group.

"I think it's Drayden again," said Ash.

"I'm sorry for keeping all of you waiting," Drayden said, "It is now the perfect time to start."

Iris nodded.

Haruhi showed up in front of Drayden and immediately said, "Kyon here also wants to challenge you to a battle."

"What the heck is Haruhi doing?" Kyon thought, slamming his palm into his face, "Didn't I have a battle with a Gym Leader already?"

Haruhi said, in a thinking pose, "The last gym challenge with Marlon was less challenging, so I was thinking that Drayden is a well-fought Gym Leader, and because of that, I was thinking that Kyon should be up again for the challenge."

"But what about Koizumi, Miss Nagato, or Miss Asahina?"

"The reason why I let you face off against Marlon is that you get a penalty very frequently!" exclaimed Haruhi, "And right now, I'm picking you to have a battle with Drayden because of the same thing!"

"But . . . "

Haruhi interrupted and yelled, "Respect my authori-tah!"

Drayden said, "I understand your point. It has been decided that it will be a double battle instead. Kyon and Iris, you must prepare yourselves."

**In the Opelucid Gym. . . . **

"This is a double battle between Kyon and Iris, the challengers, and Drayden, the Gym Leader of Opelucid City. Both sides must have four Pokemon, with the challengers having two Pokemon each. The winner is determined when all Pokemon on one side are unable to continue," said the referee, "Battle begin!"

Drayden said, "Kyon, I learned about your first battle with a certain Gym Leader in Humilau City. In my opinions, you did very well despite the fact that you lost that battle. And now, we must get down to the point. Haxorus and Altaria, let's go!"

Drayden sent out a Haxorus and an Altaria.

"It's Haxorus again," said Iris, "In that case, I'm gonna send out Excadrill!"

Iris summoned Excadrill.

"According to what Brendan just said, Drayden is a Dragon-type specialist," thought Kyon, "In that case, I'm gonna send out a Skarmory!"

Kyon summoned the Skarmory that Brendan lent over to him prior to the start of the battle.

Drayden said to Iris, "Looks like you have sent out Excadrill to battle Haxorus once again. Let's see how your Excadrill has improved since the last time we battled."

"Excadrill, Metal Claw!"

"Skarmory, use Spikes!"

Haruhi yelled, "You're supposed to let Skarmory attack, not to set up using Spikes!"

Cilan said to Haruhi, "Actually, Kyon's making a very decent strategy. If Drayden switches out his Pokemon, any Pokemon he sends out will take damage because of Spikes."

"Oh, I see," concluded Haruhi.

Kyon thought to himself, "Why isn't Spikes doing anything? Maybe Haruhi is right. I should take the offense first."

"Haxorus, block that Metal Claw."

Haxorus blocked Excadrill's Metal Claw with less trouble, while Altaria did nothing as Skarmory flapped its wings, creating multiple silver spikes that fell into both of its opponents.

"Excadrill, use Dig!"

"Skarmory, use Rock Slide on Altaria!"

Excadrill simply burrowed on the ground while Skarmory summoned huge boulders that fell all over both Altaria and Haxorus.

"Haxorus, use Rock Smash to counter Rock Slide. Altaria, use Protect!"

Haxorus's tusks glowed orange as it whipped its head back and forth to slice the rocks from the Rock Slide in half using Rock Smash, while Altaria blocked the said attack using Protect.

Excadrill emerged from the ground as it was about to hit Haxorus.

"Haxorus, dodge, then use Rock Smash on Excadrill."

Haxorus avoided Excadrill's Dig as the latter went up in the air. It then attempted another Rock Smash.

"Skarmory, block Rock Smash using Steel Wing!"

Skarmory and Haxorus both clashed their attacks.

"Altaria, use Dragon Pulse on Excadrill!"

"Counter it with Metal Claw!"

Altaria's Dragon Pulse exploded after being sliced in half by Excadrill's Metal Claw.

"Giga Impact!"

"Excadrill, use Drill Run to intercept!"

"Sky Attack!"

"Steel Wing, Skarmory!"

Excadrill and Skarmory clashed with Haxorus and Altaria, creating another explosion.

When the smoke cleared, the four Pokemon were still standing on the ground. However, they all fainted, surprising both Kyon and Iris.

Meanwhile, Drayden had a stoic look in his face.

"Altaria, Haxorus, Skarmory, and Excadrill are all unable to battle!" declared the referee.

Iris immediately recalled Excadrill and said, "You deserve a good rest."

"You fought this battle for me, thanks," Kyon said, recalling Skarmory.

"I am a bit late in saying this, but I felt that you have improved since our last battle," Drayden said to Iris, "Let's go, Flygon and Druddigon!"

Drayden summoned a Druddigon and a Flygon.

"Dragonite, go!"

"Hydreigon, let's go!"

On the other hand, Iris and Kyon both sent out Dragonite and Hydreigon, respectively, in which the latter was obviously loaned over as well.

An explosion occurred on Druddigon as it injured itself on its feet, while Flygon floated above the ground, unaffected.

"I'm taking a good guess that Kyon is starting to become serious about this battle," Itsuki remarked.

Cilan continued, "Kyon letting Skarmory use Spikes early in the battle is top-notch."

"I wonder why was that Pokemon suddenly taking damage by itself," Kyon thought of Drayden's Druddigon, eventually noticing a small, silver caltrop on the ground, "Was it because of Skarmory's Spikes?"

Drayden thought to himself, "I am seeing that Kyon is starting to become better at this. On the other hand, about Dragonite's past . . . . . . . it is very interesting."

Kyon wondered, "Hydreigon is a Dragon-type, and so is Drayden's Flygon, according to Brendan. However, this can be a problem since he also mentioned that Flygon can fly like Hydreigon. It also needs to be careful dealing with Druddigon though, since the fact that it's also a Dragon-type means it's like a clash between dragons, probably."

Iris thought to herself, "Druddigon cannot fly, so aerial attacks are going to do well against it. However, . . . . "

Dragonite glanced its eyes at Iris for a few moments.

"I think Dragonite is right. Let's do it then," Iris continued, "Dragonite, use ThunderPunch on Druddigon!"

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Pulse on Flygon!"

"Druddigon, block that ThunderPunch. Flygon, dodge that Dragon Pulse."

The former blocked ThunderPunch by crossing its arms, while Flygon cleared itself away from Hydreigon's Dragon Pulse.

"Druddigon and Flygon, now use Dragon Claw."

The two Pokemon both used Dragon Claw, hitting Dragonite and Hydreigon, respectively.

Ash remarked, "Why isn't Iris telling Dragonite to make it fly? It would've been easier for Dragonite to dodge."

Cilan responded, "Iris knew that Druddigon cannot fly, so Dragonite is to be battling on its condition. Iris is starting to accept Dragonite's feelings."

"But what about Kyon?" Mikuru asked.

"Druddigon, Flash Cannon on Hydreigon!"

"Counter with Focus Blast!"

An explosion occurred when the two attacks collided with each other.

"Dragonite, ThunderPunch on Flygon!"

Ash gasped and exclaimed, "ThunderPunch wouldn't work on a Ground-type like Flygon!"

"Block it."

Flygon simply blocked Dragonite's attack.

"Now use Double Team."

Druddigon and Flygon both created clones of themselves all over the battlefield, confusing both Hydreigon and Dragonite.

Kyon asked, "Iris, how can we be able to attack if they split up?"

"Kyon, stay calm! Only two of those Pokemon are real, so it's best for both of us to focus!"

"Focus?" thought Kyon, "Hydreigon, concentrate on where the real Flygon is."

"You do the same on the real Druddigon, Dragonite!"

The two Pokemon were glancing with their keen eyes as they both looked after the real Druddigon and Flygon.

"I think they're the one!" Iris said to Kyon, pointing out her fingers on the real Druddigon and Flygon as the latter two stopped using Double Team.

"Use ThunderPunch on Druddigon!"

"Dragon Pulse on Flygon!"

Both attacks hit as both of Drayden's Pokemon are shown to be knocked away, eventually getting up.

"Alright!" Haruhi and Ash both exclaimed, the former adding, "Kyon, make sure Hydreigon keeps attacking until Flygon and Druddigon are both unable to get up!"

"Hydreigon, Dragon Pulse one more time on Druddigon!"

"Dragonite, don't stop just yet and use Ice Beam on Flygon!"

The two Pokemon fired their attacks as Cilan remarked, "Dragon Pulse and Ice Beam are very effective. Even though Druddigon and Flygon are quite strong, they couldn't be able to stand up after taking all those repeated attacks."

Mikuru wondered and thought, "I wonder if Iris and Kyon are going to win this match if that happens."

"Flygon, use Protect to deflect that Ice Beam. Druddigon, Dragon Claw."

A blue-green force field was formed all over Flygon, defending itself from Ice Beam while Dragon Pulse exploded after being sliced in half by Druddigon's Dragon Claw, both much to the dismay of Iris and Kyon.

"Ice Beam and Dragon Pulse both didn't do a thing!" Mikuru exclaimed.

"Kyon, we must battle as a team if we don't want to lose," said Iris.

"I agree with you," answered Kyon, "Hydreigon, use Outrage on Flygon!"

Outrage hit numerous times as Hydreigon punched, bit, and headbutted Flygon, knocking it away.

"Alright! Kyon, try to command Hydreigon a strong attack to make sure that that Flygon is already weakened!" exclaimed Haruhi.

"That's too easy," Cilan replied.

"Huh?"

Cilan continued, "You see, if Hydreigon uses Outrage, it will get confused after a few consecutive turns."

Hydreigon's eyes glowed red as it was eventually shown to have confused itself.

Kyon asked Iris, "What's going on with Hydreigon?"

"The truth is, Hydreigon will get confused after several turns upon using Outrage. This is what happened to my Axew before after it learned the same move," Iris replied as Drayden's Flygon eventually got up.

Kyon facepalmed and mumbled, "Good grief."

"You let Hydreigon use Outrage and it confused itself! Who do you think you are, not minding what will happen when the attacks are under effect?!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"Dragonite, Dragon Rush!"

Iris continued and thought, "Whether if it's Drayden's Druddigon or not, I'm confident that this move will hit hard."

Just as Dragonite was about to slam Druddigon, Drayden commanded, "Grab it."

Druddigon grabbed Dragonite by the throat, disrupting the latter's Dragon Rush. Mikuru, Iris, Ash, Cilan, and Haruhi were all astounded.

"Flygon, Dragon Claw on Hydreigon. Druddigon, Dragon Tail on Dragonite!"

Haruhi yelled, "Kyon, try to think of a way to make sure Hydreigon clears away its confusion!"

Kyon responded, "I know, but I can't do anything to stop that!"

Whilst Hydreigon was still attacking itself due to its confusion, it was slashed away by Flygon's Dragon Claw. On the other hand, Druddigon slammed Dragonite down to the ground with a Dragon Tail.

Hydreigon and Dragonite both fainted.

"Dragonite and Hydreigon are unable to battle. Druddigon and Flygon are both the winners, and the victor goes to Gym Leader Drayden!"

Iris approached Dragonite and asked it, "Dragonite, are you alright?"

Kyon went to Hydreigon and asked, "Are you alright too? I was wondering if you're still fine from that confusion."

Haruhi approached Kyon and said, "You did a very great battle. But you're still going to brush up on your Pokemon battling skills."

Ash and Cilan confronted Iris.

The former said, "You also did great. However, it seems that Drayden is quite strong."

Cilan continued, "Apparently, he was trying to test the bond of relationship between you and your Dragonite."

Itsuki added, "Both of you and Kyon were this close to defeating him, but he was still a few steps ahead."

"Iris, you and your Dragonite have been good friends. Setting off on a journey was the right thing to do," Drayden said to Iris.

"You have certainly grown up, however, it isn't enough to stay still," he continued, "Try to strengthen yourself and push even harder to become stronger. You can be free to come back anytime."

"You have also done very well in this battle, Kyon. As I mentioned earlier to Iris, you should push yourself even harder to become a strong battler."

As Drayden went off and left, Iris and Kyon both glanced.

That late afternoon, the group was now outside the academy grounds.

"The truth is, the school head was the one who decided that you start traveling," Martha explained to Iris.

"Drayden did it?" asked Iris.

Martha nodded and replied, "That was after he consulted the Elder of the Village of Dragons. And according to the Elder herself, she is deciding that you are worthy of becoming next in line to becoming the Gym Leader of Opelucid City."

"Me, as Gym Leader of Opelucid City?"

"That's great, Iris!" exclaimed Ash.

Cilan added, "The taste and aroma of being a Gym Leader is very finely exquisite!"

"Hold it! This is a bit too surprising, and I don't know what I should say about it, because I have no idea if it will happen just yet," Iris said and interrupted, twiddling both of her fingers.

"'Iris should decide by herself if she wants to be the next Gym Leader or not.' The school head also decided that," Martha said, "And oh, Kyon, there are some good news for you as well. According to the school head himself, there is a possibility that you would make a future Gym Leader as well, just like Iris."

"Me? As a Gym Leader too? Good grief," Kyon muttered, palming his face.

"Kyon, did you hear that?" Haruhi said, "She just said that you would make a great Gym Leader, Kyon!"

"But I definitely need to own and raise some Pokemon," thought Kyon.

Brendan said, "That's what I would call as foreshadowing."

"You see, the school head also mentioned to me that the most strategic moment about that battle is when Skarmory used Spikes," explained Martha, "It was actually a good move in your part."

"Thanks for the comment."

"The school head, the Elder, and I all have high hopes for you," Martha said to Iris, "And as I mentioned before, I'm also looking forward to seeing the fulfillment of the main goal of the SOS Brigade."

Kyon deadpanned himself.

"I'll be doing my best to live up to the expectations. But, about the Gym Leader part, please let me think about it a bit more," Iris said, rubbing her neck.

Kyon added, "And also, despite the fact that I technically don't have any Pokemon on hand, I'm trying to think about the Gym Leader thing too."

"I understand," Martha said, "Feel free to come back to Opelucid City someday."

"I will," Iris said.

The group had already left Opelucid City as they all bid Martha their farewells.

"Kyon, if you were to become a Gym Leader, what type of Pokemon will you specialize in?" Haruhi wondered and asked.

"Now Haruhi's been thinking about that question. If I were to be a Gym Leader, I would probably specialize in a type of Pokemon that I really don't know," thought Kyon.

Ash said, "We shouldn't be far behind. After all, I wanna win the Unova League!"

Iris and Kyon both lost out to Drayden, but on the bright side, they were both remarked that they would make future Gym Leaders, much to the latter's dismay.

On the next chapter:

On the way to the location of the Unova League, the group find themselves trapped in a mountainside due to a rock slide. Fortunately, they get rescued by Virgil, a Pokemon Trainer who runs a rescue squad along with his father and brother. While Virgil takes the group to a tour in the rescue squad's headquarters, they all discover that there is a problem going on in a nearby dam in which it is frozen by a group of Cryogonal. Will the gang be able to investigate on the cause of this problem? And what are the other events that will happen? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References in this chapter:_

_* Iris makes one to Mobile Suit Gundam at the beginning of the chapter._

_* She also mentions to herself that she mustn't run away upon trying to calm herself down. Mikuru wonders if she was making a Neon Genesis Evangelion reference._

_* The words "I think I'm not afraid of anything anymore" are a reference to the title of the third episode of Puella Magi Madoka Magica._

_* In the flashback where the young Iris picks two apples from a tree, she makes an obligatory one to Death Note by quoting a variation of Ryuk's catchphrase._

_* The "It's dangerous to go alone" line from The Legend of Zelda gets quoted at one point._

_* "Respect my authoritah!" (South Park)_

_* Kyon mentions the Neighbor's Club from Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai._


	25. Chronic Hero Syndrome

_Author's note #1: The previous chapter doesn't have an Author's notes #2, ironically speaking. _

_This chapter is mostly based after the events of Best Wishes episode 102._

_P.S.: Virgil's dub name hasn't been confirmed yet as of the time this chapter is published, therefore his Japanese name is retained. And also, Higaki City is now called Vertress City in the dub, therefore, its English name will be used here beginning with this chapter._

_Special thanks to SOS Trainer 9000 for making such a great review of Chapter 24._

* * *

**_Chapter 25_**

**_Chronic Hero Syndrome_**

The nine were walking on the cliffside of a mountain.

Haruhi mumbled, "If only we got closer to Vertress City. Besides, I'm also planning to participate in the Unova League as well."

"Cilan is scanning up on his Town Map to see if we're close by," Kyon replied.

"Haruhi, if you're so hyped about joining the Unova League, we're almost approaching Vertress City. In fact, once we leave this ridge, we can be able to get there," Cilan said as he scanned on his digital map.

"I'm so ready for this, and I'm also getting fired up," said Ash, motivating himself.

"Me too," said Iris.

Kyon asked, "Are you really joining the Unova League like Ash?"

"Uh, well, I'm actually getting fired up in terms of the battles, that's all," replied Iris.

Iris noticed some fallen boulders blocking their path.

"No way!" she exclaimed.

Cilan said, "The rock slide must have occurred a few days ago. I suggest that we find another way around."

"There's nothing to worry about. We can simply climb these rocks to get to the other side," Ash said as he, Haruhi, and Iris proceeded to climb the boulders to take a look.

"Haruhi, aren't you supposed to go climbing up those rocks?" asked Kyon.

"Kyon, what if this is the only way around to get to the Unova League?"

Suddenly, the boulders started to fall off the cliff as Ash, Haruhi, and Iris got caught in the rock slide.

"Haruhi!"

"Ash! Iris!"

Mikuru wailed, wondering, "I wonder if Brendan's going to save Haruhi?"

Brendan attempted to send out a Pokemon to rescue the three, but suddenly, a blonde-haired boy with an Eevee is seen rushing down the cliff.

"Espeon, let's mobilize. Use Psychic!"

Using Psychic, Espeon controlled all the falling boulders, as well as Haruhi, Ash, his Pikachu, Iris, and her Axew, rescuing them safely back on the ridge.

"Alright, the road is all cleared," the young man said to his Espeon and Eevee. He then proceeded to ask Haruhi, Ash, and Iris, "Are you all hurt?"

"No, we're fine," replied Haruhi.

Ash added, "I thank you for saving us."

Kyon said, "I would like to apologize Haruhi. She's suddenly very hyped about participating in the Unova League."

Cilan added, "I would also do the same for Ash and Iris. They're quite reckless sometimes."

"Admittedly, I used to be like that too. My older brother berates me for being too careless."

"We haven't introduced ourselves yet," said Cilan, "I'm Cilan, a Pokemon Connoisseur."

"I'm Ash, and this is my partner, Pikachu."

"And I'm Iris, and this is my buddy, Axew."

"The name's Brendan, and these other five people traveling with us call themselves the SOS Brigade."

"SOS Brigade?" the young man asked.

Haruhi asked, "Kyon, can you explain its primary goal for him? This is obviously an order from the chief."

Kyon sighed, proceeding to explain, "The main goal of the SOS Brigade is to look for alien, time travelers, espers, among others and basically hang out with them."

"That seems to be an interesting goal," said the young man, "What are your names?"

"Haruhi Suzumiya. Chief of the SOS Brigade. And these are my subordinates."

Kyon, Mikuru, Itsuki, and Yuki proceeded to introduce themselves.

"It's nice to meet all of you. I'm Virgil, a rescue worker from the Pokemon Rescue Squad."

Kyon asked, "Pokemon Rescue Squad? What's that?"

"During times of disaster, we do rescue operations with our Pokemon. In this case, I went to this place because of the report that I received that a road was being blocked by several boulders."

Virgil continued to explain.

"As you can see, the Pokemon Rescue Squad has a lot of teams, and ours is named Team Eevee."

"Team Eevee?" Mikuru muttered and thought, "That sounds like a very cool name."

Kyon thought, "I wonder what are those two Pokemon that Virgil has with him."

Haruhi replied, "Ash's scanning them with his Pokedex. Listen carefully, Kyon."

Ash's Pokedex said, "Eevee, the Evolution Pokemon. It has a special capability to evolve into one of several different Pokemon due to its unique genetic makeup."

The Pokedex scanned on Virgil's Espeon. It said, "Espeon, the Sun Pokemon. It uses its fine hairs to predict air currents or the opponent's next move."

Itsuki asked, "Are there any other Pokemon you have aside from Eevee and Espeon that form up Team Eevee?"

"Yes, Itsuki. There are seven members, consisting of all the evolved forms of Eevee."

Kyon gasped and muttered, "Eevee has a lot of evolutionary forms? I thought that Pokemon are one-sided in terms of evolution."

Brendan explained, "Yeah, Pokemon evolution is one-sided. But Eevee has more than one evolutionary form, and it depends on its condition to its surroundings."

"You can therefore be my wingman anytime."

"Thank you, Kyon," Brendan replied.

"The seven evolved forms of Eevee, right?"

Ash continued, "I wanna go and see them!"

"Me too!" Cilan and Iris both exclaimed.

Mikuru added, "Uh, I wanna know what are the evolved forms of Eevee too."

Kyon replied, "Same for me too. I already know about Espeon, but not all of Eevee's other evolutionary forms."

Virgil responded, "You can all come to see them."

Ash asked, "Would that be fine by you?"

"Yes, home is just nearby," answered Virgil, "And oh, by the way, Cilan. You seem to sound a lot like Riku, don't you?"

Ash, Iris, and Cilan fell on their faces.

"Uh, thanks for the compliment, Virgil," Cilan replied cheerfully.

**In Virgil's home:**

Ash, Haruhi, and Iris spotted several Bouffalant, Blitzle, Zebstrika, and Mareep in the grassy meadow over the fence.

"As you can see, the one you three just noticed is our ranch," Virgil explained to Iris, Haruhi and Ash.

"But aren't you from the Pokemon Rescue Squad?" Iris asked.

"My father likes to help people, so he started a voluntary service with my older brother. Nowadays, we cooperate with the Officer Jenny from the city nearby and perform rescue operations in several places. Later on, I started joining in after training."

"Virgil, where are all of Eevee's evolved forms?" asked both Haruhi and Ash.

"Both of you, don't be too hyped about seeing them," replied Virgil, "Team Eevee, let's gather!"

Jolteon, Flareon, Vaporeon, Glaceon and Leafeon are seen leaving a stable.

Along with Eevee and Espeon, they gathered themselves and lined up to Virgil as Ash, Mikuru, Kyon, Haruhi, Iris, Cilan, and Itsuki came to see them.

Ash exclaimed, "It's too awesome to see all of Eevee's evolved forms at the same time!"

Brendan said to Kyon, "Those six beside Espeon are the other evolved forms of Eevee."

"Wow," commented Kyon, "Is there really a Pokemon besides Eevee that can have more than one evolved form?"

"There are some Pokemon with the same attributes, but Eevee is definitely the most unique Pokemon out there because of that."

Kyon asked, "Tell me, what are those Pokemon called?"

"Ash is so hyped about seeing them. Listen to his Pokedex's descriptions about them carefully, and you might get an idea about which Pokemon is which," Brendan replied as Ash pulled out his Pokedex.

When Ash started to scan the rest of Eevee's evolutionary forms using his Pokedex, it said:

"Flareon, the Flame Pokemon. Using the flame sac in its body, it inhales air, converting it into an intense fire."

"Vaporeon, the Bubble Jet Pokemon. Its cells are compared to that of water molecules, enabling it to melt away in water."

"Jolteon, the Lightning Pokemon. When agitated, its fur bristles like sharp needles that are fired at its foes."

"Umbreon, the Moonlight Pokemon. The rings on its body glow once it makes contact with the moon's aura."

"Glaceon, the Fresh Snow Pokemon. It can freeze the hairs on its body, making it stand out like sharp needles."

"Leafeon, the Verdant Pokemon. It is capable of using photosynthesis, just like a typical plant."

Kyon remarked, "Virgil definitely likes Eevee a lot."

Brendan added, "In fact, he managed to raise all of its evolved forms, and it's definitely hard work."

Virgil explained, "I raised all of them as Eevee and evolved them later on."

"You definitely seem to like Eevee a lot."

"Yes, Iris. You see, this happened a long time ago. . . . . . ."

* * *

_The young Virgil went out to explore the forest with an Eevee that he just befriended. But he realized that he got carried away by going too far, and so he was lost. _

_Much to the young Virgil's surprise, Eevee started glowing in a light blue aura, evolving into an Umbreon. The ring in its forehead started to in the night sky. _

_Thanks to Umbreon, the young Virgil was guided back home safely._

* * *

". . . . . . and that was when Eevee and I started sharing a bond with each other."

Virgil continued, "I just got my eighth Eevee recently."

Eevee approached Virgil at the time he said that line. It then proceeded to play with Ash's Pikachu and Iris's Axew.

Haruhi asked Virgil, "Because you got all seven of Eevee's evolved forms, what about that Eevee that you have right now?"

"As you can see, this Eevee loves to be pampered. It's still under training."

Kyon asked, "Do you train Eevee by battling?"

"Well, yes of course, but right now, it's still thinking of what type of rescue missions will it perform best and which one of its evolved forms shall it evolve into."

Virgil continued, "And also, that Eevee is the only female in the group."

"How can you tell if it really is a female Eevee?" asked Kyon.

"Uh, well, I have no idea, but I do refer to it as Missy," replied Virgil, rubbing his back.

Mikuru remarked, "Eevee looks so cute."

Iris added, "It looks attached to you, Virgil."

A wailing sound was heard.

"I think there's an emergency going on," Virgil said.

The roof of a house suddenly unfolded, revealing a flying helicopter.

"I wonder who's piloting that thing," Itsuki said.

Virgil replied, "That's my brother, Davey. His Stoutland is his main partner Pokemon."

He then proceeded to shout, "Bro, is there a problem going on?"

"Yeah. I'm now heading to the dam in the valley. Try to go and ask Dad for more details."

"I wanna go with you!"

"You'd get careless if I let you come along."

"That's not true!"

"Fine. Stay on standby for any other problems to arise."

"Roger!" Virgil replied as Davey flew away.

He then proceeded inside the Pokemon Rescue Squad's control room.

Kyon asked Yuki, "Miss Nagato, should we follow him?"

Yuki didn't make any response.

Inside the main room:

"Is there a problem going on?" Virgil asked his father.

"Oh, it's you, Virgil."

Virgil's father noticed Ash, Haruhi, and the rest of the group, asking, "Virgil, who are those people?"

"I met them at the ridge."

"It's nice to meet you," Ash, Kyon, Iris, Cilan, Brendan, and Haruhi said in unison.

"Same here."

Virgil asked, "Is there something going on at the dam?"

"Wild Cryogonal have frozen the water all over the dam."

"Cryogonal?"

"I don't think it could be a serious problem, but. . . . "

Virgil's father then attempted to contact the people in the dam's control room.

"This is the Pokemon Rescue Squad, speaking. Can somebody in the dam's control room hear me? Hello? Hello?"

There was no response.

"That's strange. We were connected a while ago," said Virgil's father, leaving most of the group astonished.

Meanwhile, Davey was on the helicopter, just arriving at the frozen dam.

"No wonder the reservoir was frozen alright," he said to himself as he steered the helicopter down to the ground and disembarked.

"This is Davey speaking. I have reached the dam," he later said, communicating with his father using his Xtransceiver.

"We have lost communication with the dam's control room."

"That can't be."

"Another problem may have come up. Try to be cautious."

"Roger!"

**A few minutes later:**

Back in the room, the group waited for any response.

"Dad."

"What is it?"

The group noticed Davey on a television screen as he said, "I have managed to evacuate all the people in the control room, but Stoutland and I are now the ones trapped inside. Another problem is that there are fine equipment all around here, and I cannot let my Pokemon use their attacks here."

"Stay there and standby. I'll be right there."

Virgil's father stood from his chair.

"Dad, you can't leave just yet," Virgil said, "I'll be right there."

"Virgil, there's another problem," Davey said, "The power supply has been cut off, and someone has been stuck in the control room's elevator. During the investigation, I found out that the elevator won't function unless someone activates the emergency power supply inside the dam."

Virgil thought, "The emergency power supply inside the dam. . . . . I got it."

"For some reason or two, the Cryogonal that froze the reservoir are very aggressive, so it can be very risky. While performing the mission, we have to think of a reason behind their behavior as well," Davey added.

"Virgil, can you be able to do this?"

"Yes. I was trained very well for this moment. Team Eevee and I, that is."

Virgil continued, "Whenever there is someone in trouble, we try to rescue them without any problems. That is the main goal of the Pokemon Rescue Squad, right?"

Davey continued, "I agree with him. Let Virgil come too."

Virgil's father replied, "I understand. Now go ahead."

"Roger!"

Ash convinced Virgil, saying, "I wanna come with you."

Iris added, "Me too."

"We're both going too," Brendan and Cilan both said.

"The SOS Brigade is officially coming along with you too," said Haruhi.

Kyon thought, "That's a complete surprise."

However, Virgil replied, "No. All of you must wait here."

Ash convinced, "I was impressed upon hearing from you that you and your Pokemon help each other on ongoing rescue operations. So please, let us and the SOS Brigade come with you."

Virgil's father said, "It's just like what happened in your younger days."

"But what will happen will be unpredictable!" Virgil replied.

"Virgil, make sure to assist them properly."

"Right away," replied Virgil, later tilting his head at Ash, Haruhi, and their friends, "Alright then, let's go!"

Most of the group became excited, proceeding to leave the room along with Virgil himself.

But before they could actually leave, Virgil's father added, "All of you, you must think of your safety first while performing the mission."

"Roger!" the group all said in unison as they left.

In the same building that housed Davey's helicopter, the group discovered two more helicopters, one green, the other is red.

"I'll pilot Machine Two," said Virgil, "Any volunteers who will steer Machine Three?"

Haruhi raised her hand and said, "I will! I will!"

Kyon questioned her, saying, "Do you really know how to operate that thing? It's like you haven't even steered one."

Haruhi frowned and said, "I just wanted to steer that thing."

Brendan convinced Virgil and said, "I'll do it."

Kyon asked, "Are you sure you can pilot that thing?"

"Don't tell me what I can't do," replied Brendan.

"Wasn't that a Lost reference?" the surprised Kyon thought, eventually changing to a deadpan mood.

Ash, Iris, Cilan, Itsuki, and Virgil rode on the green helicopter while Haruhi, Kyon, Mikuru, Yuki, and Brendan rode on the red one.

Both helicopters flew away, heading for the frozen dam.

As the green helicopter reached its destination, Iris was starting to shiver, muttering, "I don't like the cold."

The red helicopter, on the other hand, also arrived at the same destination, but this time, it's Mikuru who starts to shiver.

Both helicopters landed at the spot where Davey landed his own helicopter.

"I think that's Machine One!" Virgil said.

When everyone disembarked, he communicated Davey using his Xtransceiver and said, "Brother, I have arrived at the reservoir."

"Everything is fine in here," Davey replied, "Oh, never mind that. Your top priority is to keep the emergency power supply working."

"Roger!"

The group then rushed to the door leading to the dam's generators, which was frozen.

"I think it was frozen solid," said Kyon.

"No problem," replied Virgil, "Flareon, let's mobilize!"

He summoned a Flareon, commanding it, "Melt the ice with your Flamethrower!"

Flareon spouted fire from its mouth, thawing away all the ice.

Virgil attempted to open the door, but it was stuck.

Mikuru said, "I think it won't open."

"You're right, Mikuru," answered Virgil, "Glaceon and Umbreon, let's mobilize!"

Glaceon and Umbreon were also summoned.

"Use Icy Wind and Psychic to create a key!"

Glaceon fired an Icy Wind on a slot, the ice being controlled by Umbreon's Psychic to form a key.

Mikuru remarked, "That's very amazing!"

"Yeah, very amazing indeed," Kyon also commented.

Using the icy key formed by Psychic, Virgil unlocked the door. But when he tried to open, it was still stuck.

"I think it must be rusted," Haruhi said, pointing out on the rust forming out on some parts of the door.

"Good one," Virgil replied.

"Vaporeon, let's mobilize!" he exclaimed, sending out a Vaporeon.

"Use Water Pulse!"

Vaporeon fired a blue orb from its mouth that hit the door, immersing it in water and clearing all the rust away.

Ash and Virgil then proceeded to slide the door slowly as the group made their entrance inside the dam.

"It's dark in here," Mikuru said.

"That's probably because of the power outage," replied Virgil, "Everyone except for Umbreon, return!"

Glaceon, Vaporeon, and Flareon were recalled, excluding Umbreon, of course.

"Use Flash, Umbreon!"

The ring in the Moonlight Pokemon's forehead flashed as the group proceeded down a stairway.

Upon arriving at the dam's power generators, Virgil attempted to turn on its levers, but nothing happened.

"The backup power supply won't function," he said, much to the dismay of both Ash and Kyon, "The battery is too weak to function."

Virgil rushed off, leaving Kyon wondering, "I wonder what Virgil's doing."

Haruhi said, "I think Virgil's gonna use a Jolteon."

"Great thinking," Virgil said to Haruhi, "Jolteon, let's mobilize!"

Virgil's Jolteon was being summoned.

Kyon thought, "Good guess, Haruhi."

"Kyon, Jolteon is obviously an Electric-type. What were you thinking?"

"Jolteon, use Thunderbolt on the battery!"

The Electric-type Pokemon fired a bolt of electricity on the battery, leading to Ash and Brendan both deciding to help him out.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Ash?"

"I think I am, Brendan."

"Quick, Pikachu. Use Thunderbolt!"

Brendan summoned Eelektross and instructed, "Eelektross, use Thunderbolt as well!"

Eelektross and Pikachu fired away their Thunderbolts at the generator's battery.

"Alright, that's enough," Virgil said, causing Jolteon, Pikachu and Eelektross to stop firing their attacks.

He then proceeded back to the levers, switching them on. The electrical power was already restored.

"I think the elevator can move now. The next thing we need to do is to rescue my brother and his Pokemon."

Davey and his Stoutland arrived at the control room. That was when one of the staff showed up, entering from the nearby elevator.

"I'm from the Pokemon Rescue Squad. Are you injured?"

"No. There noises from the basement, so I had to check them out, however, the blackout had suddenly started. . . . . "

"Noises from the basement?" Davey thought.

The group went back outside, only to meet up with a wild Cryogonal.

"Is that the Cryogonal that froze this place?" asked both Mikuru and Kyon.

Ash scanned his Pokedex at the wild Cryogonal and it said, "Cryogonal, the Crystallizing Pokemon. They are born in snowy sky clouds. They use chains made of ice crystals for capturing their prey."

The wild Cryogonal immediately fired an Ice Beam, causing the group to rush away. However, Haruhi was still standing.

"Haruhi, get out of there!" Kyon exclaimed, dragging Haruhi away from the incoming Ice Beam.

The latter responded, "But I want to catch one of the Cryogonal!"

"But we must put safety as our first priority, remember?"

"Yeah, right."

Cilan said to Virgil, "We must separate to fend off the Cryogonal."

"Good idea, Cilan," Haruhi replied, "But we don't have any Pokemon on hand."

Brendan said to Haruhi, bringing out two Poke Balls, "Here, you and Mikuru team up with Ash and his friends."

"But I . . . " Mikuru muttered.

"I haven't seen you battling outside of the mock Pokemon contest, so I suggest that you memorize the attacks that the Pokemon I lend to you already knows. It is a Skarmory, and it knows the moves Steel Wing, Spikes, Air Slash, and Rock Slide. Just relax, and don't let your nervousness bother you. If you forget the attacks, I'll take cover."

Mikuru shed slightly a tear and said, "Uh, ok" as Brendan lent her a Poke Ball.

"Virgil, you must go and help your brother!" said Iris.

"But that would-" muttered Virgil.

"Don't worry about us," said Ash, "We'll put safety as our top priority."

"Got it, Ash," answered Virgil, "I'm counting on all of you!"

"Roger!"

The wild Cryogonal attempted to fire its Ice Beam at the rushing Virgil, but was halted by Ash, saying, "Cryogonal, we're going to battle you. Pignite, I choose you!"

Ash summoned his Pignite.

The wild Cryogonal started the battle by firing another Ice Beam.

"Pignite, intercept it with Flamethrower!"

Ash's Pignite blew a trail of flames from its nose, melting the Ice Beam and hitting Cryogonal at the same time. A cloud of steam immediately appeared after the attack hit.

However, three Cryogonal appeared as the smoke cleared away.

"Now's your cue, Mikuru and Haruhi," Brendan said as he sent out a Magmortar.

"Electivire, go!"

"Skarmory, uh, go!"

Haruhi and Mikuru sent out the Pokemon loaned over to them, namely, Electivire and Skarmory, respectively.

"Uh, Skarmory, use Rock Slide," Mikuru said in a nervous tone.

Several boulders appeared all over the three Cryogonal, hitting all three of them. However, they all managed to get up.

"Electivire, use Fire Punch!"

"Magmortar, use Fire Blast!"

The three Cryogonal spun using Rapid Spin, causing Mikuru to panic as the three Pokemon charged after her.

"Mikuru, you're supposed to command Skarmory an attack, not to just simply retreat!"

The group then proceeded to follow Mikuru as they ended up retreating for Virgil. Skarmory and Electivire ended up catching up to them without continuing to attack the Cryogonal, while Magmortar was recalled.

Virgil was at a similar encounter with two Cryogonal when he suddenly noticed Mikuru running after him, with Ash, Haruhi, and the others catching up to her.

"Virgil!" Ash shouted.

"There are three more?" Virgil thought.

Haruhi said, "That means there are five Cryogonal in total."

"Everyone from Team Eevee, let's mobilize!"

Virgil sent out Leafeon, Umbreon, Espeon, Vaporeon, and Glaceon all at once.

"All of you, try to fend off the Cryogonal!"

All of Eevee's evolutionary forms unleashed their attacks. However, the five Cryogonal blocked them with a combined Light Screen.

"What was that move?" Kyon asked.

Yuki replied, "Light Screen."

"Miss Nagato, do you have an idea what that move is?"

Yuki answered in a monotone voice, "Light Screen is a move that reduces damage dealt from Special moves like Flamethrower for up to 50%."

While the battle was ongoing, Virgil's Eevee suddenly used Dig, burrowing down to the ground.

Davey and his Stoutland were at the control room's basement, spotting a Cryogonal that got stuck on several of the pipes.

"Was it stuck there the whole time?" he thought to himself.

"Darmanitan, let's mobilize!"

Davey proceeded to summon his Darmanitan.

"Help this Cryogonal out by using Superpower!"

Using Superpower, Davey's Darmanitan bent some of the pipes, enabling Cryogonal to leave safely. That was when Virgil's Eevee showed up, burrowing from a hole.

Davey thought, "Could that be. . . . . . "

Ash, Haruhi, Virgil, and the rest of the group were still on the onslaught with the five wild Cryogonal.

"We'll try to use some moves to clear up a path," said Virgil, "Ash, Haruhi, you and your friends must get to safety for the moment."

"Huh?"

"Just go!" replied Virgil, "Team Eevee, let's start the attacks!"

"Hold on a sec!"

The group heard a voice from behind them, with Virgil turning around, wondering who said that.

It was Davey, along with his Stoutland and Darmanitan along with Virgil's Eevee.

"Brother, why is my Eevee with you?"

"Your Eevee came to the rescue thanks to its Dig."

The five wild Cryogonal were about to unleash each of their Rapid Spin when Davey responded and said, "Cryogonal, your friend is right here with us."

The Cryogonal that Davey rescued showed up behind Darmanitan, eventually reunited with its friends.

Davey explained, "One of the Cryogonal was inside the pipes on the control room's basement, but then, it got stuck there, attempting to get out. Its friends thought that it was captured, and so. . . . . . "

Haruhi added, ". . . . . . . they froze the dam, desperate to save it."

"How did you know tha- . . . . ."

Kyon then sighed and muttered, "Yeah, right."

Ash said, "We're very sorry, Cryogonal."

Virgil shouted, "Whenever your friend is at another problem, I'll be there!"

The six wild Cryogonal left off.

"Well done, Virgil," Davey said, "You have already grown up."

"I was thinking about that all along," Virgil replied.

Davey laughed cheerfully.

"But I'm actually very happy."

Ash and Haruhi both approached Virgil and said, "We're both glad for you, Virgil."

"All of you helped me out as well. Thanks," replied Virgil, "I also thank the SOS Brigade for that same purpose."

Virgil's Eevee showed up in front of its Trainer, right beside Ash.

"I have to thank Eevee too," Virgil said to the group, proceeding to approach Eevee, "You have given help to your friends, protected them, and rescued them thanks to Dig. In short, you are still fine the way you are."

Eevee was moving both of its ear flaps in a cheerful mood as it was carried by Virgil.

Virgil continued, "Then that means, Team Eevee is officially complete!"

Davey said, "Now that the problem is already solved, we need to make sure the reservoir is at its normal state. And after that, our mission is accomplished."

"I agree," Virgil said.

While Flareon was preparing its Flamethrower, Eevee touched it with its paw as it used Helping Hand to give Flareon's attack a boost as it melted away all of the ice.

Kyon asked Yuki, "What is Eevee doing with Flareon?"

"Eevee used a move called Helping Hand," Yuki replied, "It raises the power of the partner Pokemon's move in a double or triple battle."

"Does it work on single Pokemon battles?"

"No."

Ash's Pignite, Brendan's Magmortar, and Davey's Darmanitan all used their Flamethrowers to melt away the ice. Electivire and Skarmory also helped clear away the ice with Fire Punch and Slash, respectively. The latter two were eventually recalled as the dam was already back in its normal state.

The group then went back to the Pokemon Rescue Squad's headquarters that late afternoon, where Ash, Haruhi, and the rest of the group decide to bid their farewells to Virgil, Davey, and their father.

"Ash, you're participating in the Unova League too?"

"Yes," Ash replied to Virgil's question, "In fact, we're currently heading for Vertress City."

"Looks like we'll be meeting again," Virgil said, much to the surprise of Ash, Iris, Kyon, and Cilan.

Virgil and Davey's father continued, "Virgil will be coming too, in the Unova League, that is."

Virgil himself added, "As part of my rescue training, I battled in several Gyms in my journey until recently. The Unova League will mark the end of it."

Kyon said to Ash, "I think you will earn yourself a rival now."

Iris explained to Kyon, "But that's not the first time that Ash has had a rival."

"He has a lot of them?"

"Not to mention, there's a lot of refreshing and vibrant flavors coming out should Ash and Virgil face off in the Unova League," Cilan added.

"I'm so getting fired up for this!" Ash exclaimed, "Virgil, I'm not holding back once we meet in the battlefield."

"So am I," said Virgil.

"Best wishes!" Ash shouted out to Virgil as he, Haruhi, and his friends made their farewells to Virgil, Davey, and their father.

**On the road to Vertress City:**

"Too bad there wasn't any strange phenomena in the reservoir when we got there," Haruhi muttered.

Kyon replied, "At least we managed to help Virgil out on his mission to rescue his brother and fend off the Cryogonal temporarily."

"Well, yeah. I guess you are right," Haruhi said, apparently thinking of something.

The group is now heading closer to Vertress City, with Ash, Haruhi, and friends making a promise to meet up with Virgil once again.

But Ash is not the only one in the group who is planning to join the Unova League . . . . . . .

On the next chapter:

The group has finally arrived in Vertress City, the venue of the Unova region's very own Pokemon League tournament. Brendan reveals something that would actually be a surprise to Kyon. Unbeknownst to Haruhi, her powers are activated as she childishly wishes to join the Unova League. What are the other things that will happen? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References in this chapter:_

_* Top Gun: "You can therefore be my wingman anytime."_

___* Kingdom Hearts: Virgil comments that Cilan sounds like Riku._

___- Makes sense, since Mamoru Miyano voiced both Riku and Cilan._

___* Bananas In Pyjamas: Ash and Brendan quote the first two lines of B1 and B2's main catchphrase._

___* Lost: "Don't tell me what I can't do."_

___- Kyon even manages to point out the said reference._

* * *

_Author's notes #2: _

_In the original episode this chapter is based on, Virgil's Vaporeon is shown using BubbleBeam at one point. Because Vaporeon does not learn BubbleBeam outside of Generation I using any method of learning it, this chapter shows Virgil's Vaporeon using Water Pulse instead._

_I'm thinking of what Pokemon Brendan should lend over to Haruhi in the next chapter, which will be the first to cover up the episodes in the Unova League arc. If possible, PM me for any suggestions. I wouldn't allow legendary Pokemon though._


	26. Tournament Arc IX

Author's_ notes: This fanfic might be discontinued after this chapter is posted. _

_Just kidding! It will still go on even though updates are going to be stale sometimes._

_This is based after BW episodes 103 and the first part of episode 104. This is therefore, yet another long chapter, even without the reference list below._

_And oh, Kotetsu's English dub name is **Cameron**. Beginning with this chapter, his English name will be used__, so expect name inconsistencies with the earlier chapters featuring him to pop up._

_As one probably knew from the English dub, **Virgil** keeps his Japanese name._

_Expect cameos of characters from several anime and manga to pop up in this chapter._

_Disclaimer: I only own any of the original characters._

* * *

**_Chapter 26_**

**_Tournament Arc IX_**

Ash, Brendan, Iris, Cilan, Haruhi, Mikuru, Kyon, Itsuki, and Yuki are all on the road as they make their final approach in Vertress City, the venue of the Unova League.

Cilan informed, scanning on his Town Map, "According to the Town Map, we're now approaching Vertress City, and here it is!"

The gang saw a large city with a stadium in it. Ash jumped for joy, exclaiming, "Alright! I'm now getting psyched to win the Unova League!"

Kyon asked Cilan, "What is Vertress City?"

"Don't you have a good idea about Vertress City, Kyon?" Haruhi asked, "This is obviously the venue of the Unova League, duh!"

The nine then proceeded, arriving in front of the city's facade. They noticed the vendors at the stalls selling Pokemon merchandise.

Ash said, "It has been a long while. I wonder what are the opponents that I will be facing off."

Cilan replied, "Every single Trainer here has already gotten eight badges needed to enter the Unova League."

Iris added, "I wonder if you can defeat them all."

"Of course, I would! Let's go!"

"But first, you have to register," added Iris.

Haruhi asked Kyon, "Kyon, would it be fine for you if I joined the Unova League too?"

Kyon thought, "I don't think you have had eight badges with you, right?"

"Well, I just wanted to join, that's all," Haruhi muttered.

The group proceeded their way into the stalls.

Haruhi said to Kyon, "I wonder if there are Stunfisk scooping games in there."

"I don't think there are scooping games in here. And besides, it's not a summer festival," the latter replied.

The group then went to a nearby fountain as Ash spotted a blue-haired girl with a cat-like smile on her face.

"I wonder if I can challenge her," Ash said, later becoming amused at the size of the stadium that he noticed.

"So that's the main stadium, right?"

Cilan replied, "There are a lot of other battlefields in it as well."

"So this is where the fun starts," said Ash.

Mikuru remarked, "That's a very huge stadium."

Kyon thought to himself, "For a stadium that huge, it would be a good spot for the Unova League."

"I'm so psyched, so let's win this!" Ash and Haruhi exclaimed.

"But Haruhi, don't you remember from earlier that we don't have any Pokemon and even the badges needed to enter?" asked Kyon.

Haruhi frowned and said, "You're right, Kyon."

Kyon thought to himself, "I'm having a bad feeling that there's a possibility of a problem going to happen next."

"I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away!"

That voice was none other than Bianca, who just bumped into Ash, sending him crashing into a fountain.

"Ash, are you alright?" asked Iris, approaching him.

Bianca also approached the soaking-wet Ash, fumbling with resentment.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry for that one!" she uttered.

"But that's ironic that you were actually running away," Kyon said sarcastically to Bianca.

A few minutes later, Ash dried up his cap and clothes.

Iris asked Bianca, "So, you also collected eight badges as well?"

"Yeah, and it was right on time," replied the latter, "On the way, I thought that the journey I had was a bit too difficult for me, but I worked very hard for it anyways."

"That's a good one," said both Kyon and Cilan.

Bianca continued, "Joining the Unova League has become my main goal, since I was thinking that all of you will be there too."

She then asked, "Ash, are you still fine?"

"You're seriously asking me that even after you slammed me inadvertently?"

"Didn't I forgive you already, Ash?"

"That girl's very hasty on her use of words," remarked Kyon, referring to Bianca.

The latter replied, "And oh, I have one question. Just who are those six people walking with you?"

When Haruhi, Kyon, Yuki, Mikuru, and Itsuki exchanged introduction with Bianca, the latter asked, "What does the SOS Brigade do?"

"We look for the mysteries that this world has to offer," replied Haruhi, "Something like time travelers, aliens, espers, and among others."

"So that's how you run that brigade of yours."

That voice was none other than Stephan, who showed up in front of the group.

"It's Stephan!" Ash exclaimed, noticing him.

"Looks like we have met again, Ash. Oh, if you got my name wrong, the name's Stephan. Wait, did you finally get to pronounce my name right?"

Ash replied, "Well, yes. Your name's Stephan after all."

"Yes, yes, and three more yeses! You'll get cookies for getting my name right!" Stephan exclaimed.

Stephan immediately approached Haruhi, shook her hand, and said, "Oh, I do know a lot about you and that organization of yours. After all, I have heard that you and Trip both won in the Junior Cup, or at least I could say so myself. I even knew the names of your subordinates without having to ask."

He then proceeded to shake Kyon's hand as well, and said, greeting him, "You call yourself Kyon, right? Because I've heard that you and Haruhi are both participants in the Junior Cup."

"Actually, that's not my real name," Kyon replied, "Wait, how did you know about the Junior Cup?"

"I was supposed to be joining, but it was all too late, so I decided to do some training instead with my Pokemon," Stephan replied, rubbing his nape.

"Let me guess. From Ash just said earlier, your name's Stephen, right?"

Stephan fell on his face and replied, "Kyon, the name's Stephan and I'm just a passing Pokemon Trainer. You must remember that!"

This left Ash, Iris, Brendan, and Cilan laughing.

Stephan went to Brendan and said, "Your name's Brendan, right?"

"Yes," the latter said.

"Are you the sixth member of the group that Haruhi just set up?"

"Technically, no. You see, it's not just me who joined them, but Ash, Iris, and Cilan also got recruited as honorary members just recently, so. . . . . "

"I thought you were the sixth member that Haruhi just recruited in her group," Stephan said, interrupting, "Besides, you were traveling with them."

"Hey, Ash. If only I would show you how well-improved my Pokemon are," added Stephan.

Cilan said, "He sure is becoming confident."

In all of a sudden, Stephan pointed his finger at the sky and said, "Ash, I wonder who's piloting that thing up there."

That was none other than the Klinklang-helicopter maneuvered by Virgil's brother, Davy.

"It's Virgil from the Pokemon Rescue Squad!" exclaimed Iris.

The eleven decided to head off to the jet as it flew down to a safe landing.

When Virgil and his Eevee both disembarked, Davy said, "Do your best, Virgil."

"I'll do my best, brother Davy."

"You are representing the Pokemon Rescue Squad, so make us proud," Davey said, "I guess I'll be heading on now for my next mission. Dad and I will be watching you on TV."

"Expect some good news, brother!"

"Good luck!"

The helicopter flew away as the eleven came to meet up with him again.

"Virgil!" Ash and Iris both exclaimed.

Cilan added, "That was an impressive aerial entrance."

"Looks like it's both Ash and Brendan, as well as the people from the SOS Brigade," said Virgil, "I was just fresh from rescuing some injured Pokemon to the Pokemon Center."

When Virgil noticed Stephan and Bianca, he wondered, "Who are those two with you?"

"They're Stephan and Bianca. We met them for a long time," replied Ash.

Iris added, "To add any further, Stephan's the winner of the Clubsplosion tournament."

Virgil introduced himself to Stephan and Bianca.

"He's from the Pokemon Rescue Squad," Cilan continued explaining.

"Can you imagine his Pokemon? Basically he has an Eevee and all of its evolutionary forms!" exclaimed Iris.

Virgil said, "Now, now, Iris. You don't need to explain my Pokemon to them any further."

Haruhi added, "It's an uncommon sight to see all of Eevee's evolutionary forms at the same time."

"Are you participating using Team Eevee?" asked Ash.

"Yes, of course," Virgil replied, "Have you registered yet?"

"No."

"Well then, let's go and register."

On the way to the Pokemon Center, Ash, Haruhi, and the rest of the group noticed a certain rival of Ash.

"Oh, it's Trip," Ash said, spotting him passing by.

"So you have collected all eight badges as well," Trip said to Ash.

"Well, of course," responded the latter, "Trip, I'm gonna win it this time."

"Don't lose before challenging me."

"Same with you."

"Well then, I'm off."

Trip then went away, leaving Kyon confused.

The latter wondered, asking Ash, "Wasn't he the kid who participated in the bento battle in Humilau City with his Serperior?"

"Yes," Ash explained, "You see, Trip and I became rivals ever since the day I arrived in the Unova region."

On the other hand, Iris mumbled, "Trip sure has changed a bit."

As the group entered inside the Pokemon Center, Nurse Joy announced in a desk, "Please show your badges here and have your Pokedex scanned right here."

Alongside Nurse Joy was a certain surgeon with several stitched-up scars on his face.

Kyon approached him and asked, "Do you work here?"

"Yes."

"Oh, if you want to know him, his name is Kuro'o Hazama. He used to be an unlicensed surgeon, but he is now working to become a licensed Pokemon doctor," added Nurse Joy, "Oh, it looks like Ash is going to start registering."

Ash opened his badge case and showed it to Nurse Joy. He then proceeded to scan his Pokedex in a scanner, fully completing his registration in the Unova League.

"Alright, Ash. You're now registered. Do your best," Nurse Joy said as Ash begins getting fired up.

"That won't take a while just now!" Ash exclaimed.

Bianca, Stephan, and Virgil also did the same, fully registering themselves in the Unova League.

The bored Haruhi suddenly fished out something from her pockets. It was a badge case and a Pokedex.

Kyon gasped in shock and thought to himself, "That. . . . . . that can't be right. It was just taking place right now!"

Brendan was eyeing at Haruhi when that happened. He thought to himself, "I think I can see the ending."

Nurse Joy said to Haruhi, "You also got all eight badges too? You can register along as well by scanning your Pokedex right here."

Haruhi wondered and thought, "I didn't expect that a badge case and a Pokedex would be there in my pockets. Oh well."

She then proceeded to have herself registered.

After the registration, the group then headed on an uphill route to the living quarters.

"Ash, where's the room that is assigned to you?" asked Kyon.

"It's at the third floor of the first building."

"Same goes for me too!" added Bianca.

Haruhi said, "I decided that the SOS Brigade will sleep in two rooms, one for us girls and the other for Kyon and Itsuki."

Kyon thought, "I don't think I'm going to sleep with Koizumi."

"We must rest today," Virgil said to Stephan, "In fact, we have to prepare for tomorrow's tournament."

"I agree with you," replied Stephan, "Besides, I want to enjoy and relax at the sauna and have a good night's sleep!"

"Geez, you do like to live a fancy lifestyle," Iris remarked to Stephan.

"What gives? It gives me the relaxation that I need!"

Kyon, Itsuki, Mikuru, and Haruhi all noticed a built-up tent in the trees.

Haruhi muttered, "There are Trainers who reside in tents too?"

"They must be very hyped," added Ash, eventually spotting a Riolu showing up from the tent.

"That was a Riolu," he said, "That means. . . . . "

A certain Pokemon Trainer wearing a headband also went out of the tent, appearing to have awoken from his sleep.

"It's Cameron!" Ash exclaimed, approaching him.

Kyon thought to himself, "The kid that we met in Humilau City."

"Oh, if it isn't Ash. You should've arrived on time," Cameron said, "Besides, I was here for three days."

"I get it now," Ash responded, "It would be a bad idea to show up late."

"That's the reason why I camped here just to wait for the start of the tournament," Cameron replied, laughing cheerfully.

"After all, I'm starting to become punctual, right?"

Brendan asked, "Don't they assign you a room in the living quarters if you register?"

"Register? I thought that was a new Pokemon or something."

Kyon asked, "Cameron, you haven't registered yet? To do so, you need to sign up to join the Unova League."

The latter replied, "Someone should've told me that in the first place, Kyon."

"What have you been doing here for the past three days?" Ash ranted.

That was when an announcement was heard from the sirens from afar.

_"Attention to all Pokemon Trainers. The official registration for the Vertress City Unova League is now closed."_

Ash and Kyon were both exasperated.

"Cameron, where are your badges?" the former asked.

"I have them right here in my pockets."

"Now hurry up! Let's head for this way!" Ash said, attempting to drag Cameron along. But Cameron stopped him.

"What's up with you?"

"You can't enter the tournament if you're not registered!" Ash replied.

"I'm in despair! I haven't registered, so I'm in despair!"

Ash dragged Cameron all the way back to the Pokemon Center to have him registered at the last minute.

**A few minutes later:**

The rest of the group eventually caught up as they saw Ash and Cameron leave the Pokemon Center.

Itsuki asked, "So, how did everything go?"

Ash replied, "We managed to persuade Nurse Joy to let Cameron register."

"That's great!" Bianca responded.

Ash gladly said to Cameron, "It's just that you came here for the tournament but forgetting to register."

He then continued to explain to Stephan, Bianca, and Virgil, "Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce the three of you to him. He's Cameron. He may be a decent battler, but he's also scatterbrained."

"That was embarrassing," Cameron said.

"Nice to meet you," Bianca and Stephan both said in unison.

"Oh, there's one more thing that I have to tell you, Ash," Cameron said.

"What is it?"

"Let's see, . . . . . . What was that again?" Cameron muttered. While in a thinking pose, he then pulled his headband and released it back.

"Oh, that's right! Ash, I've been preparing for a secret weapon that I'll use in the tournament."

"Secret weapon? What is it?"

"It won't be the way it is if I tell it to you though, so look forward to it!"

There was a sudden sound that looked like a rumbling stomach.

"Uh, I guess it's lunch time for me," said Ash, rubbing his nape.

"We should go to the stalls to look for some snacks," said Stephan.

Haruhi suddenly had an idea popped up.

"I have an idea. We will start looking for the mysteries of this world while we feed ourselves some lunch at the stalls!" she exclaimed.

"Mysteries of this world?" asked Virgil.

"Yes, that's right, Virgil. This is one of the main things the SOS Brigade does. Since we haven't received any messages about reports of strange phenomena, that is when we start to look for them ourselves."

"Now there goes the plan to look for strange things that never seem to exist," Kyon thought in the midst of Haruhi's explanation.

Haruhi asked, "Because there aren't any toothpicks that we can find, is there anyone of you who has an idea of how to form groups?"

"I got some toothpicks right here," Brendan replied, pulling out a small box of toothpicks from his knapsack.

"Now, we have to divide into groups of three," said Haruhi.

Kyon responded, "But we could get lost when we look out into those stalls. It's not that they wouldn't be crowded with people or anything."

"You're right," Haruhi frowned and said, "Looks like we'll have to divide into groups of six instead."

Confused about the situation, Stephan interrupted and asked, "Hold on a second. Why are we grouping ourselves into groups of six?"

Haruhi replied, "Because you already mentioned to have known the SOS Brigade and it main goal, you may have guessed why we divided ourselves into groups."

"Oh, I forgot."

When everyone pulled out their toothpicks from Haruhi, the latter stared at the others and the toothpick they each selected.

Haruhi concluded, "I guess we now have our groupings. If you find any strange phenomena that you can find, alert me by. . . . . . . Oh wait, not everyone has a mobile phone, right?"

"I have a Xtransceiver here," said Bianca.

"Same goes with me too," said Virgil.

"Alright, that's settled," Haruhi concluded, "If either both of you have managed to look for strange phenomena, alert yourselves using the Xtransceivers worn on your wrist."

Kyon thought, noticing Mikuru and eventually, to Brendan, "Too bad Miss Asahina didn't get the same colored tip as me, but at least Haruhi isn't going to think that we're going out on a date or something."

"Kyon, are you paying attention?" Haruhi exclaimed, "You may not have shared the same selected colored toothpick as Mikuru's, but if you're just spending lunch without looking for strange mysteries, you're still going to suffer!"

She then added, "I want to make sure you're all on time when we meet again at the Pokemon Center in the afternoon."

The group went to make a visit to the stalls, with Ash, Kyon, Brendan, Bianca, Cameron, and Stephan heading for a separate direction from Haruhi, Itsuki, Mikuru, Yuki, Iris, Cilan, and Virgil.

Bianca and Stephan are later shown eating tacos, with Stephan wondering and asking him, "Where did you two get those?"

"Those tacos at the booth that Bianca and I just visited are very delicious!" Stephan remarked, proceeding to chow down.

"Where did you two get some delicious tacos?" Brendan asked.

"Taco Aizen," Bianca replied.

While the six strolled along in the crowded stalls while looking for strange mysteries that Haruhi was also looking for, Ash accidentally bumped himself with a girl as the two both stumbled down.

"Sorry about that," Ash muttered.

"That's fine," the girl replied.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Ash, and this is my partner, Pikachu."

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Tamako Kitashirakawa," the girl said, introducing herself, "If you're hungry, you can buy rice cakes at our booth."

Cameron, Stephan, Bianca, Brendan, and Kyon all noticed Ash with the passing-by girl. The latter said, approaching him, "You're not supposed to talk to strangers like that!"

"But she's friendly, and I just bumped into her for no reason!" Ash replied, "Oh, by the way. Say hello to my little friend, Tamako Kitashirakawa!"

"Uh, hello there," Kyon muttered, waving his hand slightly.

At the booth where Tamako's family have set up, Ash, Brendan, Cameron, and Kyon purchased some rice cakes.

That was when Tamako's father started arguing with someone from another booth that was facing them, with Ash and Kyon wondering what was going on.

"I'm trying to tell you this for so long. Your store isn't that good enough, and because of that, your booth goes along with it as well!"

"Your business should learn to keep up with the modern and current trends of nowadays!"

"But rice cakes are rice cakes, darn it! Learn to pay respect to the true spirit of making traditional rice cakes!"

"Tamako, what's with the ruckus?" Kyon asked her.

"My dad has been arguing yet again with the father of my childhood friend, Ooji Mochizou."

Suddenly, a Togekiss is shown, perching itself on top of the booth's sign.

_"So, you've got new customers," _the Togekiss said without moving its mouth.

"That Pokemon can talk?!" Kyon muttered in aghast, much to the surprise of Cameron, Stephan, and Bianca.

_"Yes, you've heard me, young man,"_ said the Togekiss, _"I can talk, but I don't do mouth flaps very often."_

Cameron remarked, "I wonder who's that Pokemon."

Ash replied, "That's a Togekiss."

"Gah! You already know that Pokemon, Ash?"

The Togekiss explained to Cameron, "_He knows that I'm a Togekiss because it's pretty clear that he has traveled to a faraway region called Sinnoh, where this species of Pokemon is native to. It's a rare sight to see one here in the Unova region though."_

Stephan said to the Togekiss sarcastically, "I would never expect that a Pokemon can talk."

_"Enough of that! I must introduce to all of you my name!"_

Kyon muttered, "Does that Pokemon even come with its own name?"

_"Young man, of course even though I am a Pokemon, I still have a full name,"_ the Togekiss replied in a bossy tone, perching on top of the sobbing Tamako's head,_ "My name is . . . . . . . . . Dela Mochimazui."_

Ash, Bianca, Stephan, Kyon, Brendan, and Cameron all dropped their sweats.

"Do you hate rice cakes?" Cameron asked Dela.

_"Young boy. . . . " _Dela replied, tucking its wings,_ "It's not that I would hate rice cakes just because my name is interpreted that they really taste very bad!"_

_"Now, allow me to explain how I came here. Would that be fine to you six?__"_

"Uh, there's no need to explain that to us. We will be going now," said both Bianca and Cameron.

"Let's go there at my place. We might find the strange things that Haruhi is looking for," said Brendan.

The six went to Brendan's old vacation home, which was not far from the stadiums.

"How much money did you pay for a vacation home like this?" asked Kyon.

"Well, it was actually lent over to me since the original owner of this vacation home decided to sell it."

Kyon noticed that the wall beside the main door had an electronic lock beside it as well as its own virtual computer keyboard.

Brendan pushed the buttons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

"That has got to be the most ridiculous password ever to be set in a luggage," Kyon remarked.

"But that's not all," Brendan replied.

Kyon noticed how he later pushed the buttons in the keyboard.

_Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A_

The main entrance door was then opened.

"I know that! That was the Konami Code that he just typed in!" Cameron exclaimed.

Kyon had a deadpan look in his face and thought, "There's no way Cameron would actually be a closet gamer."

The group entered the living room as they started to take a rest at the comfy sofas.

"Nothing amazing happens here. Everything here is ordinary," Brendan said, describing the entire house, "Even though this house looks a bit fancy as what all of you can think of, it sometimes carries a terrible curse."

"That's bad," replied Kyon.

"But it's got free drinks!"

"That's good," answered Bianca.

"The drinks are also cursed."

"That's bad," Kyon said.

"But the drinks are actually berry juices!"

"That's good," Cameron replied.

"The berry juices taste like Sadaharu Inui's vegetable juice."

"That's bad," said Kyon, "But what can go wrong if they taste like that vegetable juice?"

"You already know why people are getting grossed out for drinking it."

"Ugh," muttered Kyon, "So that explains why you said that they are cursed."

"Let's start checking this place up for the mysterious things that Haruhi is looking for," Bianca said.

Kyon thought to himself, "Bianca's starting to lose her sanity."

A young woman in a maid outfit suddenly showed up beside Brendan.

"Hello there. I was just a passing-by maid."

"No way!" Kyon muttered.

"Kyon, do you know her?" asked Stephan.

The former explained, "Uh, you see, her name's Sonou Mori, and I just met her when the SOS Brigade decided to visit an island villa owned by Koizumi's distant relative."

Brendan asked, "If you know Sonou Mori, do you know Arakawa as well? He's here too."

"Mr. Arakawa is also here?" Kyon deadpanned and thought, "I wonder why are they here in the Pokemon world and what are they up to now?"

"Would all of you like something to drink?"

Stephan replied to Sonou Mori, "Sure, I would like a Soda Pop."

Brendan said to Kyon, "While Ash and the others tour around, we'll do the same thing in the attic."

The two went upstairs, eventually heading for the attic.

"Is it me or are you trying to tell me something?" Kyon ranted.

"I have something that might be of convenience to you."

Brendan pulled out a box from a nearby cabinet and showed to Kyon a colorful scrapbook.

"Here it is."

Brendan showed out a scrapbook to Kyon.

"Mabinogion? What's that?" muttered the latter.

"It's just like the one that Mori Summer just wrote."

"That has got to be the most nonsense name for a scrapbook," Kyon said.

"But it doesn't contain a lot of philosophical rants like the original one. Instead, you will see data for every well known Pokemon in existence."

"I see," thought Kyon.

"I can let you keep it, since you may not know if you have encountered a rare Pokemon."

"But I don't want to keep a scrapbook like that," Kyon replied, "People would think I got eighth-grade syndrome or something."

_"Pi-ka! Pi-ka! Pi-ka!"_

Ash's Pikachu showed up, dancing while clanking a pair of castanets.

"Pikachu? Where did you get those?" Kyon asked.

Brendan said, "Those are Fami's castanets. Apparently, Pikachu took them from one of the boxes."

Ash entered the attic and said, "I wonder where's Pikachu."

When he noticed the Electric-type mouse Pokemon, dancing with a pair of castanets, he said, "Oh, there you are. But where did you get those?"

Brendan replied, "Pikachu just went here to look for something interesting to play with."

Suddenly, he had an idea sprung up.

"Oh, Ash and Pikachu, I have an idea. Let's dance away with those castanets like what Yui Hirasawa did!"

Kyon facepalmed.

"Untan! Untan!" Brendan chanted as he, Ash, and his Pikachu danced along, clanking castanets.

"Uh, what did we just chant?" Ash asked.

"Like what I told you, the chant that-"

"Brendan, Ash does not watch anime," Kyon said, interrupting him.

"Pikachu, what do you say? Let's go get some treats from Sonou Mori!"

Ash and his Pikachu left the room.

"As what I was asking to you a while ago, what's the reason why you have been gathering me here?" Kyon asked.

"If you've been wondering lately about what just happened in the Pokemon Center, that's the reason. And also, I'm going to give you a little piece of trivia about me."

"So, it's about you and Suzumiya. I get your point."

"I used to be an ordinary human like you, until I took a certain hit in the knee."

Kyon was in a deadpan look in his face.

"Actually, that's how I can sum up about myself, and that's for starters," replied Brendan.

Kyon said, "O-k, if you aren't an ordinary person, tell me who you really are."

"If I mentioned to you that I am a slider, would you be surprised?"

Kyon was starting to become in shock when Brendan said those words.

"He is a slider?" Kyon thought to himself.

* * *

"You may have realized about my identity, but a full explanation of myself as a slider might be a bit too complex for you to understand, unless if you are getting the idea about theoretical physics," said Brendan, "For now, I will tell you the basics."

"They sure rhymed," Kyon said.

"Well, unintentionally yes. Shall I continue?"

"Sliders are. . . . . well, you may have probably guessed it, entities who travel between dimensions. It so happens that there's a certain TV series about them, although what differentiates between us and the entities from the show is that we don't wait for 29 years in order to slide again in case we miss out on a portal to another dimension. Instead, the powers of a slider that has traveled to another universe will recharge very slowly, and it can even take an entire year or two," he continued.

"O-k," muttered Kyon as he stood up, facing Brendan, "Jumping to different dimensions looks a lot more like time travel."

"Time travel? Time travelling and jumping to different dimensions beyond our own may look the same, but they're like . . . . . two different things."

"What is it?"

"It gets complicated if I explain about the whole thing though, but I do see the similarities between them."

The usually deadpan Kyon sighed and muttered, "What do you sliders want with Haruhi anyways? I'm sure that if you are indeed a slider, Suzumiya is likely involved."

"I was here because of that certain time when Haruhi started her quest to look for aliens, time travelers, espers, and sliders, but ironically, I'm not a student at the same school as you and Haruhi herself. I don't think that was coincidence, but it's nice knowing you anyways."

Brendan added, "Another reason why I came is because I just wanted to make sure Haruhi isn't bored. Obvious much? Yes, this is the case with Itsuki, Mikuru, and Yuki as well. You might have guessed from them that they wanted to make sure the real world isn't going to end up in ruins very soon."

"There has got to be something else that you need to explain as well which may involve sliders," Kyon said.

"Well, yes. Another thing that I have to tell you is that this dimension is one of the parallel versions of the real world. For instance, the Unova region is one of the alternate versions of New York."

"Then that means we're in an alternate version of America," Kyon concluded.

"Yes, that's right. In America!" Brendan exclaimed after making a short pause, "Now, where do you and Haruhi reside in in the real world?"

"Nishinomiya, and it's in Japan."

"Nishinomiya, right?" Brendan asked, later concluding, "In this dimension, it's located somewhere in the Johto region."

"But that would mean we have a long way to go," Kyon said in a worried tone.

"Actually, that won't be necessary."

"I think that was Homura's line," Kyon said, "Now, can you describe to me what your dimension looks like."

Brendan answered, "I'm in the same dimension as you, but I don't live in the same place as you. It's not that I would be in another if I have to exist in the real thing, don't I?"

Kyon reacted with a deadpan look in his face. He then asked, "Do sliders like you have a faction?"

"Yes, I forgot to tell you that I am a member of an organization of sliders called the Seleção," Brendan explained.

"That has got to be like the one from Eden of the East," Kyon said.

"We have no relation to them, actually."

"Um, yeah," replied Kyon, "Now, if you do call yourself a slider, show me your powers right away."

"I'm sorry, Kyon. I'm afraid I can't do that."

"But why?"

"They only work in certain conditions. However, it would be an honor to give you a demo of my powers once the time comes that they are needed."

"Now, do you have any idea about what happened earlier in the Pokemon Center?"

"Yeah, that's right. Haruhi obviously wanted to join the Unova League, and because of that, her powers activated."

"He also knew about it," said Kyon, "The only thing that is missing is closed space."

"I have another question to tell you," Brendan said to Kyon, "Didn't you and Haruhi end up getting trapped in a closed space at one point?"

"It traumatizes me when you let me recall about what happened," Kyon replied, "But how did you know all that?"

"I've been hearing of all those recent incidents of closed space in which Haruhi is involved. And that's why I've become omniscient about them."

"O-kay," Kyon said. He asked, "Do you really have a lot of Pokemon with you? It's like you've been lending a lot of Pokemon to me and Haruhi the most."

"Actually, she has been playing the Pokemon games for a while, and because of that, some of the Pokemon that she has in one of the games that she played are with me."

"If you have your own Pokemon, how can you tell which one is yours and which one is Haruhi's?"

"The PC is able to sort them according to their Trainer. I'll show it to you."

The two then went downstairs, making a beeline for Brendan's bedroom.

Inside, there was a bed fit for one person, a desk, and a PC with a Poke Ball transfer machine beside the window pane.

"That looks like a computer beside the window," Kyon said, describing the PC.

"Yes, but don't think of it as just a typical PC. I call it, the Navi."

"Navi?"

"Have you gotten any idea about those computers in Serial Experiments Lain? I named this PC after them."

After making a short pause, Brendan added, "Oh, and speaking of that anime, if Haruhi were to be a deity, it's going to be like what happened in its last episode. But it wouldn't be satisfying to you if that happened."

Brendan then opened the PC and explained, "Oh, to explain any further about the PC, it is a form of technology used for storing Pokemon and items."

"O-k, but does it really sort out your Pokemon and the Pokemon Haruhi has actually obtained?"

Kyon noticed two tabs on the PC's screen as Brendan clicked the mouse on one of them.

"Kyon, this is the storage tab for Haruhi's Pokemon," Brendan discussed to Kyon, "Here, you will find some of the Pokemon that Haruhi caught ever since Haruhi started playing the Pokemon games."

He then proceeded to click the mouse over a tab on the screen showing two Pokemon, an Electivire and a Yanmega.

"These are two of the Pokemon that I had on hand but are actually owned by Haruhi," he then said.

"Then that means some of the Pokemon that you have are actually Haruhi's the whole time!"

"Yes."

Kyon was startled.

"Uh, ok. Was that also caused by her powers?"

"No. Actually, those are the Pokemon that Haruhi has caught in the games. Or maybe in this case, alternate reality based after them."

"Isn't that supposed to be like breaking the fourth wall?"

"Of course the fourth wall is literally broken!" Brendan replied, "The reason for that is because Haruhi is making the unreal real thanks to her powers. Or in other words, she's making the impossible possible."

Kyon sighed and asked, "I also have another question to tell you. What's with the whole business of Pokemon battling anyways?"

"You just don't pay attention to Haruhi about the whole thing," Brendan said and sighed, "Alright, I'm going to give you an overview of a typical Pokemon trainer's journey. The first thing to do before your journey begins is to obtain a starter Pokemon from the Professor of the assigned region."

"Starter Pokemon?"

"Yes, those are the Pokemon you obviously start off with. You don't have to encounter them in the wild. But before you leave though, you'll need to have six Poke Balls and a Badge Case from the Professor."

"Then, what's next?" Kyon asked, wondering.

"While you progress, you have to get more Pokemon."

"If I have to get a lot of Pokemon, can I have to use all of them for every battle?"

"No. You can only bring a maximum of six Pokemon with you. Pick the ones that are well-performed in battles."

"The next step?"

"To update the progress of your journey, deal with the 8 Gyms by having a battle with the Gym Leaders in proper order. Once you beat them, you are one step ahead in entering the Pokemon League."

"You mean something like that tournament going on right now?"

"Yes, and the first rule to winning the Pokemon League is to be polite, be an efficient Pokemon Trainer, and have a plan to defeat every opponent you meet in the battlefield."

Kyon deadpanned and asked, "Does this have to be like that when one goes to a new region?"

"Yes, and it's like, history repeated by itself!" Brendan exclaimed, "Whenever Ash visits a new region, he tries to get all eight badges and compete in the Pokemon League, and when it's all over, the cycle goes back to the start!"

"O-k. . . . . " muttered Kyon, "You're probably omniscient about Ash and his record as a Pokemon Trainer."

"Oh, I think we must end this conversation for now. You wouldn't want to be ranted over by Haruhi for not showing up on time."

"Thanks for reminding me that," Kyon replied. He asked, "Do you really need to rest here for tonight?"

"No, I'm fine sleeping with you and Itsuki in the living quarters."

As the sun started to set, Ash, Brendan, Kyon, Bianca, Cameron, and Stephan went back to the Pokemon Center, where Haruhi and the remaining others waited.

Haruhi said to Kyon, "It's a good thing you and the group went back just in time. Have you spotted anything strange?"

"None so far. How about you, Haruhi?"

Haruhi didn't say a word.

"It's not that strange things would show up that easily, do they?" Kyon added.

"Whatever," Haruhi muttered, "I'm still going to review on how you behave."

The group spent some dinner at the living quarters.

Later on, Brendan, Kyon, Cameron, and Stephan are relaxing at the sauna, with towelettes placed behind their necks.

"Can we go now?" Cameron asked Stephan.

"No, no, not yet," the latter replied, folding his arms, "We still have a long way to go."

When Cameron noticed Brendan and Kyon leaving the sauna, he asked, "But why are they leaving right now?"

"They went here first!"

Cameron sighed as he and Stephan were the only ones left in the sauna.

In the lobby of the Pokemon Center, Ash went to the PC Storage to contact Professor Juniper.

When everyone went to their respective rooms for a good night's sleep, Kyon was in bed in one of the rooms, along with Itsuki and Brendan. He couldn't sleep.

"Kyon, you haven't slept?" asked Brendan.

"Well, you see, I have a bad feeling that Haruhi would cause any trouble if she loses in the Unova League."

Brendan said, "Don't jump to the conclusions just yet. It's not all the time that another closed space would happen, right?"

* * *

The next day was the big day for all Pokemon Trainers including Ash, the Unova League Tournament.

All the trainers gathered on the battlefield on the main arena as a helicopter is seen hovering past the stadium.

Much to the surprise of all the Trainers, Freddy O'Martian showed up from the helicopter, descending down to the arena with a parachute.

"Greetings to everyone! This is Freddy 'The Scoop' O'Martian, getting ready to roll!" Freddy O'Martian announced on his microphone, "And so, it is of my great honor to welcome you all to the Unova League!"

The participating Trainers standing in the battlefield jumped for joy.

O'Martian added, "If everyone will please turn their attention to the flame cauldron, Vertress City's very own Officer Jenny will be lighting up the flame, in which it will signal the start of the Unova League."

An Officer Jenny is shown lighting up the flame cauldron on one side of the stadium as it started bursting into flames.

"Before we move on to our round of sixteen, there will be preliminary matches. The Trainers who will win those preliminary matches will move on to the main events."

"Preliminaries?" Ash thought to himself.

O'Martian continued, "In the preliminary round, only one Pokemon will be used in the battle. And now, we will be revealing our first match-ups for this tournament."

The screen showed the cards featuring the participating trainers to be shuffled, eventually revealing the first match-ups.

Among all the other match-ups on the screen, one of the revealed pairings for the green field were between Ash and Trip.

In the same field was also the match-up between Haruhi and Yuri. On the purple field, one of the match-ups were between Stephan and Ladonia.

On the yellow field, one of the battles are between Bianca and Louise and Sasaki and a random Pokemon Trainer named Sasshi.

Virgil was to battle a Pokemon Trainer named Arumi in the blue field, and lastly, Cameron was to challenge Tamako Kitashirakawa on the red field.

On the bleachers, Kyon gasped when he noticed Haruhi's card pitted up with Yuri Nakamura's card on the screen.

"Why does Haruhi have to face off again against Miss Nakamura?"

"That's fine, as long as Haruhi has to do better and win the tournament," Brendan said, surprising Kyon as he sat beside him.

The latter said, "I thought you were participating in the Unova League too."

"I didn't register, since I already joined the Unova League before."

Kyon added, noticing Sasaki's card on the screen, "I never expected that Sasaki would also be joining the tournament as well."

"I wonder who's my first opponent," Haruhi said, pointing her finger on the screen.

Yuri Nakamura prodded her from behind and said, "I'm setting my eyes at winning the Unova League, so prepare to lose!"

Sasaki was behind Haruhi, eventually noticing her.

Stephan pointed at the screen, noticing his card pitted up with Ladonia's card, saying, "So that's my first opponent, huh? I just can't wait to win this!"

"Hmm, I wonder who's my first opponent," Ash thought, "There I am!"

But when he noticed the screen, he said, "I'm up against Trip."

"I'm looking forward to it, Ash," Trip added, showing up as he and Ash confronted themselves.

The former then went off.

"If I lose to Trip again, there's no way that I can get to the main rounds," Ash thought, "Pikachu, let's win this!"

The first match to take place in the purple field was between Stephan and Ladonia.

"Stunfisk, use Mud Bomb!"

"Zebstrika, dodge that!"

Stephan's Zebstrika avoided all of Ladonia's Stunfisk's barrage of Mud Bombs.

"It's our turn. Now use Stomp."

Zebstrika attempted to stomp off Stunfisk with its two front feet but it was also avoided.

"Use Dig!"

Stunfisk burrowed into the ground as Stephan was thinking of a way for Zebstrika to dodge Dig.

The former emerged from the ground, tackling Zebstrika for a good hit.

Stephan exclaimed, "Zebstrika!"

"Use Dig again!"

Stunfisk burrowed on the ground once again, forcing Stephan to think of a strategy.

"Use Stomp!"

Much to Ladonia's surprise, Zebstrika stomped its hind feet, hitting Stunfisk as it emerged from the ground to strike and knocking it away.

"Alright, finish it off with Giga Impact!"

Stunfisk was hit by Zebstrika's Giga Impact and was subsequently knocked out as a result.

"Now that's more I like it," said Stephan.

O'Martian announced, "The first match of the green field ends with a victory attained by Stephan!"

"Alright!" Stephan exclaimed.

The first match of the yellow field is between Bianca and Louise de la Valliere.

"Emboar, use Flamethrower!"

"Swoobat, dodge it and use Heart Stamp!"

"Block it!"

Swoobat avoided Emboar's Flamethrower. However, as Swoobat charged, its Heart Stamp was blocked by Emboar's palm.

"Use Flamethrower again!"

Emboar hit Swoobat dead-on with a Flamethrower, causing the latter to get knocked away.

"Try to get up, Swoobat!"

Swoobat was still able to get up.

"Now use Psychic!"

Emboar was being lifted up in the air by Swoobat's Psychic, eventually being sent down by the attack.

"Don't give up just yet, Emboar!" Bianca shouted.

"Make sure it won't fight back, Swoobat! Use Aerial Ace!"

"Block it with Arm Thrust!"

The two attacks collided. Luckily, both Pokemon were still able to get up.

In the blue field, the battle was between Virgil's Leafeon and a Pokemon Trainer named Arumi and her Crustle.

"Leafeon, Energy Ball!"

Leafeon started the battle by landing the first hit with an Energy Ball.

"Crustle, use Rock Wrecker!"

The two moves exploded as they collided.

"Use Rock Wrecker again!"

In the red field, Cameron's Ferrothorn is seen battling Tamako's Eelektross.

"Ferrothorn, Pin Missile!"

Ferrothorn made the first move as Eelektross took the first hit in return.

"Use Dragon Claw!"

Eelektross retaliated back with a Dragon Claw, knocking Ferrothorn away.

"Why do you have to get hit from a Dragon Claw like that?" Cameron asked to the worried Ferrothorn.

"I'll make the next move. Eelektross, use Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it!"

Ferrothorn cleared away from Eelektross' attack.

"Use Metal Claw!"

The former attacked away once again, but it got avoided.

"Use Dragon Claw!"

Ferrothorn cleared away from Eelektross' next attack, but it only got knocked away in the process.

"Why does it have to be like this, Ferrothorn?"

"I think I'm getting the idea," said Tamako.

The first match of the green field between Ash and Trip has also commenced. Iris, Cilan, Brendan, Haruhi, and the rest of the SOS Brigade were at the bleachers, watching the battle.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Iris and Cilan were both confident that Pikachu's attack would hit. But Trip's Serperior got away from the attack.

O'Martian announced, "It looks like Serperior got away from Pikachu's next move once again!"

"Even though that Iron Tail missed, Pikachu's still keeping its guard," Iris said.

"Enough of letting up. Pikachu, Electro Ball!"

Ash Pikachu prepares an Electro Ball, Iris, Kyon, and Cilan were all confident that it would finally hit.

"Uh, would it work?" Mikuru asked, referring to Electro Ball.

Unfortunately, Serperior once again avoided it. The spectators in the bleachers were astounded, as well as Ash.

O'Martian narrated, "Serperior is avoiding all of Pikachu's moves! What is Ash going to do?"

"Use Wrap!"

Serperior latched at Pikachu with its tail, strangling it, much to Ash's surprise.

"Serperior suddenly used Wrap in response for dodging all of Pikachu's moves!" O'Martian exclaimed on his microphone, "No wonder it becomes formidable!"

Kyon asked Yuki, "Miss Nagato, what was that move Serperior is using at Pikachu?"

"Wrap."

"Wrap?"

"Yes," Yuki answered, "Wrap is a Normal-type move that enables the Pokemon to wrap the opponent for four to five turns."

"If Serperior uses Wrap in a way that makes Pikachu look uncomfortable, that's no good," commented Kyon.

Cilan added, "I agree."

Meanwhile, in the other stadiums:

The match in the yellow field continued with Louise's Swoobat struggling to attack Bianca's Emboar.

"Emboar, use Flamethrower!"

Emboar's attack hit Swoobat, sending it knocked away.

"Finish it off with Arm Thrust!"

Unable to do anything, Swoobat was knocked out after the attack.

"That can't be!"

The referee announced, "Swoobat is unable to battle. Emboar wins, and the victory goes to Bianca!"

Bianca jumped for joy as she was now able to move on to the next round.

**Meanwhile. . . . **

"So as Team Eevee plays - Unlimited Leaf Blade Works!"

Virgil's Leafeon hit Arumi's Crustle with Leaf Blade multiple times, eventually managing to knock it out.

"No!" Arumi yelled.

The referee announced, "Crustle is unable to battle. Leafeon wins, and the winner of this match is Virgil!"

Virgil managed to proceed to the next round as a result.

In the red field, Cameron's Ferrothorn was shown still battling with Tamako's Eelektross.

"Eelektross, use Crush Claw!"

Eelektross landed another hit on Ferrothorn.

"Why is it that you keep on taking a hit if it's Crush Claw?" Cameron ranted.

On the bright side of things, Ferrothorn's Iron Barbs was activated, injuring Eelektross in the process.

"Alright, use Pin Missile!"

The attack landed on Eelektross' mouth, knocking it out standing up.

"Oh dear," Tamako muttered.

The referee announced, "Eelektross is unable to battle. Ferrothorn wins, and the winner of this match is Cameron!"

"Alright, Ferrothorn!" Cameron exclaimed.

The first match of the green field has still continued, with Ash's Pikachu still affected and strangled by Trip's Serperior's Wrap.

"More winners have been announced in the other stadiums," O'Martian announced, "In the green field's case, will the sliding scale of victory point over to Ash, or will it point over to Trip?"

"Pikachu, hang in there. . . . . . " muttered Kyon and Cilan.

"I don't know if Pikachu is going to win this battle," added the nervous Mikuru.

"Hey, there's Iris and Cilan!" a familiar voice said.

It was Stephan, along with Cameron and Bianca.

"Have you all made it?" Kyon asked.

"Yeah, all of us moved on to the next round," replied Stephan, eventually looking at the battlefield.

"Ash's not having a pure time," he said.

Brendan replied, "Everyone's a noble mind."

"Can it with the Zeta Gundam reference?"

"Sorry about that, Kyon," Brendan answered.

Cilan explained, "Pikachu can't get out of Serperior's Wrap, and I don't think that the situation would taste very well."

Cameron said, "Ash, if you want to be a Pokemon Master, don't lose out right now in the preliminaries!"

"If only there was a way for Pikachu to get out of Wrap," he then thought, pulling and releasing out his headband.

"Ouch!" exclaimed Cameron.

"Are you alright, Cameron?" Bianca asked.

On the arena battlefield, Pikachu is still strangled by Serperior's Wrap and is having a hard time getting out.

"Pikachu, hang on in there!"

"Perhaps we must end this," said Trip, "Serperior, slam Pikachu down to the ground!"

Ash thought, "It would be bad if that happens. . . . . "

"Pikachu, open up your eyes!"

Pikachu managed to wake up. But when Ash noticed Pikachu's tail, he had an idea thought up.

"Use Iron Tail downward!"

Just when Pikachu was about to get slammed down, it released itself from Serperior by slamming the ground with an Iron Tail.

"Pikachu managed to get out of Serperior's Wrap by slamming down an Iron Tail!" O'Martian announced.

"That was good," remarked Kyon.

"Follow it up with another Iron Tail!"

"Intercept it with Dragon Tail!"

Serperior and Pikachu collided their attacks. But the latter was knocked away.

"Pikachu's Iron Tail failed to stand up to Serperior's Dragon Tail!" O'Martian exclaimed on his microphone.

"All of that just won't work," Trip taunted to Ash.

The latter thought, "If only there was a way to deal with Serperior's Dragon Tail. . . . . . . "

Kyon also thought, "Pikachu might have been knocked out already from the constant damage caused by Wrap."

"It's not the best time to jump to conclusions though," added Itsuki.

Pikachu was struggling to get up, charging its cheeks with electricity. That was when Ash started to have another idea.

"Pikachu, combine Iron Tail with Electro Ball!"

Pikachu's tail glowed silver, and at the same time, it formed a yellow ball of electricity from its tail.

"That wouldn't work either," said Trip, "Serperior, use Dragon Tail!"

An explosion was created after Serperior's Dragon Tail collided with the combination of Pikachu's Iron Tail and Electro Ball.

"I can't look now. . . . . " Mikuru muttered, covering her eyes with her fingers.

When the smoke cleared, Pikachu was shown knocked away. However, it actually got up.

"But what about my Serperior?" asked Trip.

Trip's Serperior still stood, but it was unfortunately knocked unconscious.

"Serperior is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Pikachu wins, and the winner is Ash!"

"Alright, Pikachu! We did it!" Ash exclaimed.

"The tables have been turned quickly as the combination of Electro Ball and Iron Tail has managed to defeat Serperior!" O'Martian exclaimed on his microphone.

Trip, surprised for his apparent defeat, muttered, "Serperior lost. . . . . "

Mikuru was still nervous, covering her eyes with her fingers.

"Miss Asahina, Ash won. You can look now," Kyon said, calming Mikuru down.

"No wonder Ash is filled with a lot of unexpected flavors," Cilan remarked.

"Yeah," Kyon replied, "If Ash lost, he would have suffered terribly to Trip after all those losses to him."

"I'm so getting fired up!" Cameron said.

"Me too," Stephan added.

Cilan and Iris suddenly left the bleachers. Stephan asked, "I wonder where are you two going?"

"To eat some lunch with Ash," Iris replied.

"Sure, go ahead," Bianca said.

Haruhi also left the bleachers, with Kyon wondering where she headed for.

"I wonder where did Haruhi just head off to," the latter thought to himself.

**A few minutes later. . . . .**

O'Martian announced, "Alright, folks! Please head back to your seats because the next match in the green field is about to begin!"

Brendan said, "I just forgot to tell you that I once again checked the data for Yuri Nakamura and her Pokemon and the possible one that she might use right now."

"Good," replied Kyon, "What's the next match going to be?"

"Haruhi and Yuri."

"Oh, great. Miss Nakamura and Suzumiya are to be battling out right now," the deadpanned Kyon replied, "But wouldn't she use the same Pokemon like last time? I think that was Shedinja."

"Actually, Yurippe's become unpredictable since then, and because of that, it's hard to tell what's her signature Pokemon."

"If Brendan were to be mentioning that Miss Nakamura became unpredictable, it would be complicated to think of a great strategy," Kyon thought sarcastically.

In the battlefield, Yuri and Haruhi were present on both sides.

"Let's see how much you have improved since our last battle," taunted Yuri.

"Bring it on," replied Haruhi.

The referee exclaimed, "Let the battle begin!"

"Reuniclus, operation start!"

Yuri summoned a Reuniclus.

"Yanmega, let's go!"

Haruhi, on the other hand, sent out a Yanmega.

Bianca remarked, "Haruhi's got the advantage."

"What did you just say?" muttered Kyon.

Stephan explained, "You see, Bianca's explaining the fact that Bug-types like Yanmega have a type advantage over Psychic-type Pokemon like Beheeyem."

"Time for the first move," Haruhi said, "Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

"Reuniclus, dodge it."

Yuri's Reuniclus managed to get away from Yanmega's Air Slash.

"If that don't work, use more Air Slash!"

Yanmega fired another Air Slash, but Reuniclus still got away.

The former raised its speed with its Speed Boost.

O'Martian announced, "It looks like Reuniclus is getting away from Yanmega's attacks!"

"Let's get on with it! Yanmega, Aerial Ace!"

Yanmega soared away with its attack, finally hitting Reuniclus.

"Alright!" Stephan exclaimed.

But the latter was still able to get up.

"Now it's my turn," said Yuri, "Use Flash Cannon!"

"Get away, Yanmega!"

The Ogre Darner Pokemon cleared away from Reuniclus's Flash Cannon, raising its agility even further with Speed Boost.

Yuri was not amused.

"Haruhi's Yanmega raised its speed with its Speed Boost ability! What would Yuri Nakamura do?" O'Martian announced.

"Use Bug Buzz!"

Yanmega let out a loud buzzing sound with its attack, effectively hitting Reuniclus.

"Reuniclus is badly affected by an effective move called Bug Buzz!" O'Martian exclaimed on his microphone.

Yuri was in shock to see her Reuniclus get hurt by the attack. Fortunately, the Multiplying Pokemon managed to get up.

"That Bug Buzz is effective, alright," Yuri thought, "Reuniclus, use Recover!"

The Multiplying Pokemon glowed in a white aura as it was fully recovered of the health that was lost.

"Miss Nakamura is good at this game," thought Kyon.

"Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

"Dodge it."

Yanmega's attack was avoided, however, it continued to activate its Speed Boost.

"That Yanmega of hers is starting to activate Speed Boost every now and then," Yuri thought, "Of course!"

She suddenly had an idea in her mind.

"Reuniclus, Trick Room!"

"Trick Room?" Kyon thought.

Reuniclus's eyes glowed red as it formed colorful transparent walls and a ceiling all over the battlefield.

"What kind of move was that?" Haruhi asked.

"Haruhi, this is Trick Room," Yuri explained, "Even if it won't last longer, I recommend that you keep that in mind about this move."

Bianca commented, "This is the first time I have ever seen that move."

"Me too," added Kyon.

"I'm suspecting that Yuri is trying to turn everything around using Trick Room," Brendan replied, much to the surprise of Kyon, Bianca, Cameron, and Stephan.

"Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

"Reuniclus, Thunder!"

Reuniclus struck first, knocking Yanmega away with its attack.

"Reuniclus quickly retaliates with a very effective move!" O'Martian exclaimed on his microphone.

"I never expected that Reuniclus would move so quickly," said Haruhi.

Yuri replied to Haruhi, "Your Yanmega has gotten a decent flying speed only because of its superb ability called Speed Boost. That's why I let Reuniclus use this move called Trick Room to my advantage."

Kyon, Bianca, Stephan, and Cameron all gasped.

"Just as planned," Brendan muttered.

"Or maybe, not as planned. No wonder the data is a lie!" Kyon exclaimed, berating Brendan, "We can't always have all the nice things!"

"No strategy is a perfect one, Kyon!" Brendan replied, pointing his finger to Kyon, "Even if you have already checked out the data for a Trainer and his Pokemon, you'll expect some surprises to pop up!"

Yuri continued to explain to Haruhi, "You see, Trick Room is a move that enables the slowest Pokemon to move first and the fastest one to move last. Since Reuniclus is slower compared to your Yanmega, it becomes useful in our favor, of course."

"So that explains how fast your Reuniclus is," Haruhi concluded, "Yanmega, use Bug Buzz!"

"Use Flash Cannon!"

Reuniclus disappeared and appeared again behind Yanmega, hitting it first with Flash Cannon and knocking it away.

Kyon wondered and thought, "If Haruhi's battle has begun, I wonder if Sasaki's match has already started as well."

**Meanwhile:**

Following Bianca's victory, the next match of the yellow field, which was between Sasaki and a Pokemon Trainer named Sasshi, was taking place.

"Starmie, use Ice Beam!"

Sasaki's Starmie made the first move as it hit Sasshi's Jellicent.

"Jellicent, Energy Ball!"

"Dodge it."

Starmie avoided Jellicent's Energy Ball.

"Use Will-O-Wisp!"

Starmie was hit by Jellicent's Will-O-Wisp, and was subsequently burned.

"Starmie, hang on and use Thunderbolt!"

Starmie fired the Electric-type move at Jellicent, forcing the latter to struggle to get up.

"Let's finish this up with Hydro Pump!"

Starmie blasted out its attack at the weakened Jellicent, knocking it out.

The referee announced, "Jellicent is unable to battle. Starmie wins, and the winner is Sasaki!"

Sasaki has managed to proceed to the next round as a result.

Back in the green field, Haruhi's Yanmega and Yuri's Reuniclus were still in an intense battle as the latter's Trick Room was still in effect.

O'Martian narrated, "Trick Room is still in effect, and will Haruhi be able to find a way for her Yanmega to get past it?"

"No matter what I do to command Yanmega, Reuniclus will go first," Haruhi thought, "But I'm not letting Trick Room get in our way."

"Yanmega, use Double Team."

"Oh no, you don't! Reuniclus, use Thunder!"

Reuniclus struck first once again using Thunder, but that was when Yanmega started creating multiple clones of itself all around the battlefield.

"Reuniclus cannot tell which one of them is the real Yanmega!" O'Martian exclaimed.

"That's impossible!" Yuri exclaimed.

"Your Reuniclus is now fast, but how can it tell if one of them is the real Yanmega?" Haruhi taunted, much to Yuri's dismay.

"Reuniclus, use Flash Cannon!"

Once again, Reuniclus fired its attack first, hitting all of Yanmega's clones. But it failed to hit the real Yanmega since it activated Speed Boost again to dodge.

Trick Room was still under effect.

"Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

"Reuniclus, Flash Cannon one more time!"

Once again, Reuniclus struck first by going behind Yanmega, but at the last minute, Haruhi instructed, "Use Detect."

"Detect?"

Much to Yuri's surprise, Yanmega got away from a quick firing of Flash Cannon.

"Despite the effects of Trick Room, Haruhi managed to make use of quick thinking by instructing Yanmega to use Detect!" O'Martian exclaimed.

Bianca said, "Wow, Haruhi's starting to become good at this."

"The outcome would definitely lean over to Haruhi for the win," added Stephan.

"Gah! What kind of move was that? Even with Trick Room on our side, Yanmega still got away from all of Reuniclus's moves!" Yuri thought.

Yanmega continued to activate its Speed Boost.

"Use Flash Cannon once more!"

"Dodge by using Aerial Ace!"

Reuniclus struck Yanmega again by using Flash Cannon. However, the latter hung on and retaliated with Aerial Ace, knocking Reuniclus away.

Yanmega's Speed Boost was activated once more.

"Reuniclus, Thunder!"

"Detect, then use Bug Buzz!"

Once again, Reuniclus's attack took the first hit, however, it was avoided quickly as Yanmega got away using its Detect.

In return, the latter released its Bug Buzz, hurting Reuniclus with buzzing sound waves.

"No!" Yuri screamed as Reuniclus eventually got knocked unconscious.

"Reuniclus is unable to battle. Yanmega wins, and the winner is Haruhi Suzumiya!" the referee announced.

Haruhi is now able to move on to the next round.

"That was an intense battle, folks. Despite the effects of Trick Room, Yanmega still managed to overcome it and defeat Reuniclus!" O'Martian announced.

Yuri mumbled, "Not as planned. . . . . "

The audience cheered for joy as the match came to a close.

Brendan said, "I knew that everything would still go according to plan even with all the surprises that Yurippe has dished out."

Kyon thought, "Maybe Brendan's right. If Haruhi and Sasaki were to meet in the battlefield, things will get harder from there."

A few minutes later, Haruhi went out to the Pokemon Center to help recover Yanmega to full health. That was when she saw Yuri, also having her Pokemon recovered to full health.

"It's Yuri."

"Oh, it's Haruhi."

"Are you leaving just now?"

"Yes. I lost to you, and because of that, I have no reason to stay and watch the rest of the tournament."

"But before you leave, I congratulate you for a decent battle."

"But I told you that you won and I lost, so. . . . . "

"Even if you did lose, you still did great."

"I did?"

"Yes, you did."

"I'm still not going to lose out to you someday though."

"In that case, let's do our best," Haruhi said as she shook hands with Yuri Nakamura.

"So, you became friends with her," Kyon mumbled behind Haruhi, surprising her.

"Kyon, you shouldn't gossip around like that! Uh, never mind about that, you see. . . . . "

"Indeed. The two did become good friends, alright," thought Kyon.

He asked, "Miss Nakamura, I wonder where are your friends from the SSS."

"We eventually parted ways with them," Yuri replied as she slowly went past the entrance and left.

"We'll battle again someday!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"Sure, we will," Yuri replied. She then went away with a smile on her face.

"Cynthia once told me those words way back in Sinnoh. When one life meets another life, something will be born."

"Who just said that?" Haruhi asked, wondering who said that.

When she turned around, Ash showed up, along with Iris and Cilan.

"Ash, did you say that line?" asked Haruhi.

"Yes," replied the former.

Cilan nodded and said, "I agree with what Ash just said. The fact that Haruhi and Yuri first encountered themselves in the Junior Cup until all their differences have been settled after their second match a while ago proves that a mutual connection has started between them."

"Oh, by the way, Kyon. Sasaki has also moved on to the next round," Brendan said.

"How did you know that?"

"I checked out the results of the other ongoing matches."

"You have got to be kidding me," Kyon muttered, palming his face.

He then thought, "It would be a problem if Haruhi met Sasaki again, wouldn't she?"

Brendan said to Kyon, "Oh, I've gotten yet another thing to tell you. Ash, Iris, Cilan, Stephan, Virgil, Bianca, Cameron, and I were all thinking of a way to cheer up on Haruhi on her next match."

"What is it?"

"Ash, Iris, Cilan, Cameron, Stephan, Virgil, and Bianca, let's do the chant that I taught to all of you!" Brendan exclaimed, "Altogether now!"

"Moe moe kyun~!" he, Stephan, Bianca, Iris, Ash, Virgil, Cilan, and Cameron all chanted, each forming a heart with both of their fingers.

"Don't even think about making a K-On reference!" Kyon exclaimed in response. He then thought, "These days, Brendan's going to get sued."

Ash, Cameron, Stephan, Haruhi, Sasaki, Virgil, and Bianca have moved on to the next round. Will one of them be able to win the Unova League?

**TO BE CONTINUED. . . . . . . **

On the next chapter:

In the midst of the match between Bianca and Cameron, Brendan meets another slider from a rival faction. But things are not going very well between them. . . . . .

While the participating Trainers take a rest for the next round of the Vertress Conference, which is to be scheduled for the next day, Haruhi and the rest of the SOS Brigade members decide to help Iris find her Axew after the latter finds out that it suddenly went missing. Will the five be able to find Axew along with Ash, Brendan, and their friends? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

* * *

_References and cameos in this chapter: For a chapter that is based after the events of 1 and 1/2 episodes, it gets loaded with them._

_* Serial Experiments Lain_

_* TV Tropes: Wild mass guessing is mentioned. The title of the chapter doesn't count, despite the fact that every chapter is named after a trope name._

_* The title character of Black Jack makes a cameo appearance with only one spoken line. Apparently, he is now a licensed Pokemon doctor._

_* Kamen Rider Decade: "Kyon, the name's Stephan, and I'm just a passing Pokemon Trainer. You must remember that!"_

_- This one by Sonou Mori: "I was just a passing-by maid."_

_* Spaceballs: The password used to access the main entrance door is 1-2-3-4-5. __It is later proceeded by the Konami Code._

_* When Trip's Serperior uses Wrap on Ash's Pikachu, Kyon makes a reference to a certain line in the Sonic Sez segment of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog._

_* The World God Only Knows_

_* Sliders: Brendan mentions the TV series upon his introduction._

_* Eden of the East: The organization of sliders where Brendan is a member of is named the Seleção._

_* 2001: A Space Odyssey: "I'm sorry, Kyon. I'm afraid I can't do that."_

_* Puella Magi Madoka Magica: When Brendan quotes the words "Actually, that won't be necessary", Kyon points out that it was Homura Akemi's line._

_* MythBusters: "We can't always have all the nice things!"_

_* Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series: "In America!"_

_* Konata from Lucky Star makes a cameo appearance._

_* And so is Louise from The Familiar of Zero._

_* FLCL: "Nothing amazing happens here. Everything here is ordinary."_

_* __Ash's Pikachu clicks on the castanets in the same fashion as Yui Hirasawa in the first episode of K-On!. Brendan and Ash eventually follow Pikachu's example._

___- "Moe moe kyun~!"_

_* Death Note: The words 'Just as planned' and similar variations to the line are quoted by Kyon, Brendan, and Yuri._

_* Portal: "The data is a lie!"_

_* Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei: Cameron mutters Nozomu Itoshiki's catchphrase._

_* Neon Genesis Evangelion_

_* Fate/stay night: "So, as Team Eevee plays - Unlimited Leaf Blade Works!"_

_* Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!: The scrapbook Brendan showed to Kyon is named the Mabinogion._

_* Bianca and Stephan apparently visited a booth that was named Taco Aizen, referencing the meme of the same name in Bleach._

_* Tamako Market: Most of the main characters make cameo appearances._

_* Scarface: Ash says the lines "Say hello to my little friend" to Kyon upon introducing Tamako to him._

_- Brendan also says the aforementioned line upon introducing Sonou Mori._

_* Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi: Two of the participating Trainers are named Sasshi and Arumi._

_* The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim_

_* The Simpsons_

___* Prince of Tennis is given a nod, with Brendan mentioning Sadaharu Inui and his vegetable juice._

___- Stephan blatantly quotes a variation of Ryoma Echizen's catchphrase._

_* Team Fortress 2: __"The first rule to winning the Pokemon League is to be polite, be an efficient Pokemon Trainer, and have a plan to defeat every opponent you meet in the battlefield."_

_- "If that don't work, use more Air Slash!"_

_* "Ash's not having a pure time." "Everyone's a noble mind." "Can it with the Zeta Gundam reference already?"_

_* Brendan makes a Mobile Suit Gundam SEED reference by partially quoting Mu La Flaga's catchphrase._

* * *

_Author's notes #2: _

_Trivia #1: Brendan explains to Kyon that in the Pokemon world, Nishinomiya is located somewhere in Johto. It actually references the fact that in the real world, Nishinomiya is located in the Hyogo Prefecture, which in turn is located in Japanese region of Kansai, where the Johto region is patterned after. Ironically, __no location in Johto is based and patterned after what would become the main setting of the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels, manga, and anime._

_One of the first minor crossovers of this chapter is with the anime Tamako Market. _

_The question of some people is, what is Tamako Market?_

_It is an anime that aired recently that focuses on the daily lives of the title character, Tamako Kitashirakawa, the daughter of a mochi maker who does his business at their home. It is one of the most recent works of Kyoto Animation, the studio that worked on the animated adaptations of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-On! and Hyouka, which explains the art style that will remind one of certain characters from those anime adaptations._

_Dela's full name in katakana is Dera Mochimazui (or Mochimazzui for that matter). An alternate way to spell it is Dela Mochimazzi. __However, due to elaboration, I decided put it as **Dela** **Mochimazui**, and as a result, the name has been used in this chapter._

_And lastly, if anybody's wondering why Dela is a Togekiss in this chapter, that's also a part of my elaboration. _

_Trivia #2: The way Freddy O'Martian makes his entrance in the Unova League's opening ceremony will totally remind one of the supposed entrance of James Bond and Queen Elizabeth II (who are actually portrayed by stunt doubles) in the opening of the 2012 London Olympics._


End file.
